Mugen: Infinite Negative  (A Circles of Time tale)
Rated R


THE DARKNESS:


	I want to know if the peace built upon sacrifice
	is truly just...For that, I will become evil.

					-Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz



	Magik is arbitrary. Black, white, grey: colour is irrelevant. Magik
knows no love or enmity, no fear or honour. It only knows itself, that
which is magik. The user determines the shape the magik shall take when it
is manifested. It is the user who can create or destroy. Magik cannot
differentiate, cannot be blamed. The soul is what moves magik, be it a
black heart of cold stone, or a fragile heart of beauty and truth.
	One day all this knowledge, this magik, shall fade, and be
forgotten, become just a legend spoken to little children at bedtime.
Magik shall become magic, and shall be given colours. Only a handful of
souls will ever remember such a time as this, when magik was the life and
breath of the Earthworld and its solar system.
	Time passes, as it always has and always shall forever, ending yet
neverending in the boundary that marks eternity. And with time comes
change: of worlds, of faces, of legends and myths. Time does indeed
change. But the magik shall always remain the same, and stay with us until
eternity itself comes to an end.
	You can try to forget the magik, but it shall never forget you. If
you were once destined to wield it, you shall wield it once more. Black,
white, grey; it does not matter.
	I am His lordship Chaos.
	One of many writers who have come together to craft an epic spanning
the millennia and legends of a world first created by Naoko Takeuchi. The
Senshi are her children, the original tale hers to tell. But the other
tales and other souls we have drawn into this place belong to those who
have created Circles of Time. Naoko has her children, as do I have mine.
I, as do all the other writers of this epic, ask for your permission
should you wish for our children to enter another realm.
	But for now, let the eternal night fall as silence swallows up the
brilliant light of the future.
	Listen to the tale I have to tell you.
	For time is of the essence....


			-His lordship Chaos (hislordshipchaos@hotmail.com)
			   http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/9897/ct.htm




	The faded and gutted halls of Ilsa Esylin were silent in watching
the dying magik of Aurora. Night had fallen upon the Earth, and the
darkness was now threatened with incredible rippling lights that covered
the skies. Beautiful in design, elegant in spectacle, and perhaps even
romantic in gesture, the Aurora Borealis remained one last display of a
planet's incredible magik.
	Yet as she gazed upon the dancing lights, a different kind of
exhilaration was coursing through her body. The distant explosion in the
skies not so long before this had marked the end of Aurora.
	Morgana smiled to herself.
	In a way, that had proven to be useful on two counts. Her messiah
had been found, and at the very least demonstrated a devastating magik;
with this woman leading her armies, the fear alone would make her
unstoppable. And at the same time, Aurora and all its mages and samurai
would have become her greatest obstacle. How fitting that now they were
gone.
	Sapphire eyes gazed at the ruins of Ilsa Esylin. Death and
stagnation were all around her...and amidst it was a strange sort of
beauty. All was quiet save for the distant roar of the waves which
surrounded this island castle. Here in her own little empire she was
queen.
	Soon Ilsa Esylin would no longer be her home.
	Camelot....
	Her future lied there with the city of the Pendragon.
	She walked between rows of broken columns without a roof to support.
Some were missing, others cleaved in half or else toppled over. The
pathway before her was clear, and so she continued to walk.
	Moonlight filtered through the Aurora Borealis.
	But this light slowly disappeared as shadows overtook her every
step, converging in every place where something should have been visible
beneath the stars. Ilsa Esylin's ruins sank into her Shadowspell, and the
emptiness of the fallen castle became her domain.
	Her realm.
	The stone caverns, exquisitely carved and towering high over her
head, replaced the crumbling walls and broken stairways. Twin moons became
her source of light rather than the lights dancing about the skies. And
she could clearly hear the sound of rushing water flow past her, above
her, below her. The waterfalls were everywhere; aqueducts carved into the
rocks were only part of the design, as thin rivers of water moved through
the very air itself.
	A caduceus slowly appeared in her grip, the ancient sceptre's
diamond sparkling in the faint light of this world. Morgana held the
caduceus before her eyes, gazing into the facets of the gemstone.
	This dark messiah...Morgana could sense this woman drawing closer to
this planet. Very soon the one who called herself Mistress Nine would
appear. And then the true conquest of Earth could begin. She would cleanse
it of all uncertainties, release it of all doubts. The petty bickering
between peoples and planets would end under her power. She would become
the law, absolute and infinite.
	She was the Solis System's future.
	And it was beautiful.
	The shadows watch her, edges of darkness billowing out and
fluttering. And at amidst its heart of darkness, something shifted in the
blackened realms behind her. Magik rustled, quietly but demanding
immediate attention regardless.
	"Patience," Morgana soothed, not even turning around to watch the
shifting shadows. "Everything is falling into place just as I've designed
it to. Once Mistress Nine comes to Earth, I will take control of Arthur's
empire...and then you can be released."
	The shadows seemed displeased.
	They demanded a response to a question.
	A scowl marred Morgana's face. The ones she had sent after Magellan
and that Venusian girl had failed, just as her Caltain had failed in
retrieving the one whose soul bore that incredible magik. So many
unexpected failures, smaller in scope yet giving her reason to seethe.
	It appeared as if the power she had acquired, this dark magik she
had been given, was not as potent as once thought. If not that, then she
was underestimating some of her opponents.
	Truth was Morgana remained uncertain as to why she had been
instructed to attack that Venusian girl's shuttle, and then once more
while the child was in Vlatmere province. It made no sense...to her at
least. Her master, the one within the shadows, however, was most specific
about ending that girl's life.
	No matter; in time this girl would either bow to her powers, or else
die like the others.
	However, while she had patience, her master did not.
	Empress Metalia was eager to enter this world, one way or
another....


			MUGEN: INFINITE NEGATIVE

			  (A Circles of Time tale)


	Just as a world brims with its variety of life, a story can never be
centered on one place for very long without the need to reveal another
realm standing alongside it. It is a tapestry, threads intersecting and
destinies colliding. So in journeying to the realm of light and life, one
must also return to the darkness that is death.
	Aurora.
	A once rich and beautiful world.
	Now gone.
	And here she laid among its remains, her body sprawled out across
one of the ragged chunks of rock now floating through the darkness of
space. Tresses of long emerald-dark hair draped itself over her back as
her eyes fluttered open. Magenta orbs focused on the lifelessness around
her.
	The guardress of time stood.
	Setsuna slowly turned, picking up the key-shaped staff that had been
laying next to her when she awoke. The shard of stone she found herself
upon was drifting, rotating until she found herself at an angle which by
all rights should have had her floating off. But gravity was no longer
applicable to this place.
	A void within space.
	"How...how can I be breathing?" she whispered. Magenta eyes widened.
"Masaka!"
	Time had been stopped.
	Chiming rings echoed across a vacuum which should have allowed no
sound to penetrate. A brief metallic chord reached her ears. Setsuna let
the rock continue its rotation until she felt that she was at last
rightside-up.
	She turned her head to the one she knew to be lurking here
somewhere. And from another piece of lifeless rock, the Raithe was quietly
watching her.
	Both of them should have been dead.
	The magik of Death Reborn Revolution had consumed Aurora entirely.
First the Silence had swept across the face of the planet, annihilating
everything it touched. People and palaces were blown apart like leaves as
the hellish onslaught made its course across the surface. The Silence
collided with itself at the southern pole, detonating into a pillar of
pure destructive magik that tore through the very core of Aurora. It burst
through the northern pole, ripping apart the planet from inside out.
	Nothing could have held this world together.
	And Aurora had exploded into millions of fragments of rock.
	"You...." she whispered, not daring to have her voice become any
louder. Any more volume and it would have been a vicious hiss.
	Eyes of the midnight skies never faltered, an even stare taking in
every image of betrayal that shone through her face. The bitterness in her
quivering lips. The tears brimming at the edges of her trembling eyes. The
pale colour to her otherwise tanned skin.
	And yet all he did was watch, motionless.
	A spectre amidst it all.
	The Raithe pivoted, making a sweeping gesture with his shakujyo. Its
garnet orb flickered to life, a windfall of magik escaping the crystal
sphere atop his staff. Shades of grey faded to reveal colours. The
darkness was alive, sparkling lights all around her in the aftermath of
annihilation. The black rock became earthen mud, and she could see the
texture that had once existed at the heart of Aurora's core. Rays from the
distant sun were scattered, most of the golden warmth lost by the immense
debris field all around them, blocking out the light.
	Setsuna pushed off the rock she was upon, floating through space,
and slowly if not gracefully twisting her body so that she could land upon
the piece of earth where the Raithe stood. In the vacuum, despite time
having been stopped for the most part, rapid actions were slowed down to
elegantly delayed motions.
	Nothing was said between them.
	He opened his hand.
	Inside was a flower, dripping in shadowy hues, a curving stem
adorned in thorns. Petals of darkest night opened up, blossoming to reveal
a flower that should never have been. Seconds later a wind swept past the
two of them, tearing the petals from the fragile blossom.
	A black rose.
	"Sacrifice is a part of duty," the Raithe stated. "Aurora's
destruction had to occur, or else the continuum would have been torn
apart--by the very paradox you created in sending Hotaru here."
	The silence was shattered.
	Whatever solitude was held between them in mourning for the fallen
planet was lost.
	Setsuna's grip on her time staff tightened. "Their deaths meant
nothing to you," she stated angrily. "You watched with a distant
expression, as if their pain never existed. You're watching me with that
same face even now."
	"I have had centuries to build up a thick skin," the Raithe replied.
"I do what needs to be done; it is my duty to help create the future that
will be, no matter what the cost."
	"What about the lives of others?" she shot back. "What about your
own life?"
	The Raithe's eyes narrowed. Something that might have been a growl
escaped his lips, a glare from his eyes causing her to step back. "You
would be wise to watch what you say, Setsuna. Guarding time is a duty you
still have much to learn about. In the heat of this moment, I will let
your rude words pass."
	She had managed to strike a nerve.
	That almost surprised her.
	But it didn't end the pain and frustration that was within her. So
many of those on Aurora she had talked with, walked alongside, even shared
quiet moments with. And now it was gone, torn from her by a cruel twist of
fate.
	She couldn't hold it back.
	And now all her anger had found a focus: him.
	With an enraged cry she swung the time staff over her head, smashing
it down upon the Raithe. His shakujyo was already raised to counter her
attack. She didn't relent, trying to forcibly have him lower his defenses.
	"You brought Mistress Nine into being!" she exclaimed, towering over
him, the tears no longer able to be held back. They flowed down her
cheeks. Fell from her chin onto his face. "It's all because of you that
they died!"
	"Don't get sanctimonious with me!" the Raithe snapped, wrestling to
keep her at bay. "I know what duty means. I have been following it through
for centuries upon centuries before you were even conceived. What I have
done was done for the sake of the future, for a dream you yourself once
lived in!"
	He suddenly pushed her back, both of them putting distance between
the other. She shook her head, unwilling to let the Raithe justify his
actions. The future could be created without such a loss of life. It was
all she had left to believe in now, as she stood amidst the remains of
Aurora.
	Magenta eyes closed. Her own garnet orb started to glow as her magik
began to manifest. The key-shaped staff was raised, aimed directly at the
Raithe. Her attack came in but a whisper:
	"Dead Scream."
	The blast of light filled the waste-laden heavens, engulfing them
both. And then it was suddenly cut in half, the Raithe's shakujyo ripping
her magik in two. He landed right in front of her.
	Both of them were panting, gasping for air.
	Neither one moved.
	"I cannot make amends for what has already come to pass, Setsuna,"
he said. "You know just as I that the past cannot be changed. Call it what
you wish: destiny, fate, kismet. It is our duty to be both its instigators
and its slaves. She can be a cruel mistress sometimes, Setsuna, but it
will not change the fact that we now find ourselves in an asteroid belt
where Aurora once was."
	"We should be dead," she stated. "Hotaru as well. Death Reborn
Revolution should have killed her in the process."
	The Raithe shook his head. "That fatal magik would end the life of
the invoker if she were Sailor Saturn. Mistress Nine is not a Sailor
Senshi; the daemon energy inside of her is feeding her magik, renewing her
demonic life."
	"But that means she could use it again."
	"True...but she won't. Aurora was just venting off steam; Earth is
her true target, one that she has little intention of destroying."
	Setsuna gravely watched the cosmos above and beyond what her eyes
could see. She knew well enough what the Raithe meant. "Pharaoh Ninety.
She's going to try and bring the alien entity to our solar system. All
because you had to show it the way here."
	He looked to the vast shards of rock floating all around, above and
beneath them. One day perhaps, a queen would establish a quartet of
soldiers to guard over this place. A memorial for the souls who had
perished here in a war that existed only for the sake of a future yet to
be discovered.
	"Believe me when I tell you that this was the only way to stop the
paradox," he said, his voice in but a whisper.
	"How can I trust you after what you have done?" she asked.
	The Raithe turned to stare at her, his midnight eyes betraying
something about the cool demeanor he usually showed. Perhaps his humanity.
"You don't. You can't. But the war has only just begun, Setsuna. Nothing
ever truly ends. And nothing ever truly dies so long as time continues to
move full circle."
	The tears had stopped flowing.
	Her own grief and anger had subsided for now.
	Setsuna let her gaze sweep across the vast desolation of Aurora. A
large fragment of rock leisurely spun through the empty space over their
heads, momentarily eclipsing the starlights and forcing them to dwell in
darkness. "Hotaru...iie, Mistress Nine was able to do this to a planet.
The rest of the solar system doesn't stand a chance against the Messiah of
Silence."
	The Raithe's eyes closed. "Then your future is already lost."
	She turned to him, frustration more than anything else rising in her
expression. Every time with him it was like this; despite even Aurora's
destruction, he continued to play with these cryptic games. "What is there
that I can do, that any of us can do?" she demanded.
	His eyes slowly opened, watching her.
	Studying her.
	Appraising her as if to see whether she could truly be the guardress
of time. "Mistress Nine will not destroy another planet," he said. "I've
seen to that. However, there is a greater power she now seeks as the
Messiah of Silence. And if she claims this magik as her own, then what has
happened to Aurora will pale in comparison to what she does next."
	Winds unseen yet very much felt blew past them. The pleated folds of
her sailor fuku danced around her waist, and the long edges of his raven-
dark robes billowed out before him. They stood at a new edge of heaven, on
the crossroads of a new destiny being forged.
	The Raithe leaned on his shakujyo. "I have almost fulfilled my own
duties, followed through with my own choices. My actions have set this in
motion, and only your actions will let it come to a close. Setsuna, if you
indeed wish for Crystal Tokyo to appear, then you must go to Earth. The
future--yours and everyone else's--is waiting for you there."
	He straightened, moved ever so much closer to the precipice where
lifeless rock became darkest space. Midnight eyes reflected the midnight
heavens, and for a moment he was respectfully silent. Though out of
respect for what she remained uncertain.
	"You are never truly alone in your journeys, Setsuna," he said.
"Very soon others like you will come to Earth, to fight for the future. I
have already ensured they hold the magik and the Talismans necessary to
continue the battle against the Dark Messiah."
	Her eyes widened, already understanding his hidden words. "The Outer
Senshi," she said.
	The Raithe nodded. "Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune will need your
guidance if they are to help locate the Holy Grail. Only with the Grail's
powers can you find the one soul destined to stop Mistress Nine, and
restore peace to this solar system."
	Holy...Grail.
	It was a word that seemed vaguely familiar in her distant memories,
echoing of a lesson or a life once lived. But while she could only guess
at its origins, what she felt within determined how pressing the urgency
was to find this chalice.
	"You will find your own battles to fight, but I cannot give to you
what you have already made for yourself," the Raithe said further,
motioning to her key-shaped staff. "Besides, Uranus and Neptune's
Talismans are items that Dante was able to forge with his magik. The
garnet orb in your staff is not a weapon or a Talisman...but a key."
	She gave him a puzzled look.
	And it seemed to amuse him, the way a teacher is amused by the
confusion of a student learning the ways of the world. The Raithe smiled,
raising his shakujyo towards her.
	Abruptly the garnet orb atop his staff started to sing, chiming a
strange yet beautiful melody that she recognized. The song he had once
played on the ringed piano. His crystal glowed in singing this magik.
	And then the garnet orb atop her own key-shaped staff echoed a
reply. Setsuna leaned back, letting the garnet orb create a melody that
matched the one sung by the Raithe's.
	Both crystals were synchronizing with each other.
	Both crystals were of the same magik.
	She stared at the Raithe, unable to conceal the surprise on her
face. "Masaka," she whispered.
	Suddenly the orbs exploded in a fierce light, swallowing them both
up. Setsuna shielded her eyes as she felt the magik stealing her away from
the graveyard of Aurora. But before she was engulfed entirely, she saw the
Raithe's enigmatic smile directed towards her.
	And then he was gone.


	It was still dark out beneath the skies of Neptune.
	Starlight was caught by the glassy surface of the near-eternal
oceans, rippling with the movements of the water. The midnight tides were
receding, waves gently splashing against the beach shores of the surface
city still occupied by Uranus' forces. No one but the usual guards were up
at this hour; no one had reason to be.
	However, a reason quickly gave itself life.
	Arthur squinted his copper eyes as the door to his chambers was
opened. A hand went in front of his face, the shadow cast over his eyes
easing the strain from such exposure. The Golden Empire's king dug his way
out of the blankets, blinking wearily at the silhouette standing before
him.
	"What is it?" he asked groggily, pushing aside a stray thin braid of
his greying blonde hair.
	"Milord," the one in the doorway stated. "I didn't wish to intrude
on your rest...but this is urgent."
	It was Lancelot.
	Arthur groaned, pulling himself even further out of bed. He ruefully
asked himself what quandary the Neptuni and Uranian delegations had gotten
arguing over now.
	No rest for the wicked.
	"Go ahead, Lancelot," he sighed, slipping his coin-sized lenses over
the bridge of his nose.
	The Knight Commander uneasily looked around the room, as if refusing
to step inside. Whatever he had to say, he didn't want to at all, let
alone accept what the message itself offered. "We just received an
emergency distress from the 'Dragon's Eye,'" Lancelot said finally,
grimly.
	Arthur searched his memory for the name of the interstellar vessel.
One of Earth's finest battleships, probably the sole one that could even
hope to compete with anything Uranus' military created. Some the soldiers
who had cut their teeth under his command during the wars which preceded
the Golden Empire's formation were posted as the bridge crew on that ship.
	Lancelot glanced around the room, not staring at anything. His
throat was tense, his very expression unwilling to believe what was on his
mind.
	"Lancelot," Arthur pressed. "What did The Dragon's Eye report?"
	"The ship was orbiting Aurora, overseeing a trade convoy bound for
Pluto. Halfway through, the transmission was abruptly cut off. We haven't
been able to regain contact with them since. We haven't been able to
regain contact with any ship from this system that was orbiting or docking
on Aurora."
	The king slowly rose from his bed, tossing the covers behind him.
Already he could read the signs of war. But Aurora? Of all the places in
the Solis System, that planet would have been the least of all places for
battle to erupt. The idea that Aurora itself might have declared war on
the other planets was absurd.
	Something wasn't right.
	"A passing merchantship from Jupiter managed to contact us a few
minutes ago," Lancelot continued. "It had sustained heavy damage from an
unexplained energy wave, its origins coming from Aurora's orbit. Soon
afterwards the ship confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt...that Aurora
itself was destroyed."
	Arthur's expression was one of pure shock, his thoughts and senses
reeling from the implications behind the words. "D-Destroyed?" he asked,
unable to completely believe the words.
	The Knight Commander nodded. "It was blown apart, inside out,
reduced to nothing more than asteroids floating in space. Anything that
was in close orbit was taken out by the shockwave. I have some reports
from Earth detailing the residual light of the explosion. It's being
called the Aurora Borealis."
	But those words were falling on deaf ears.
	Aurora's destruction was still failing to fully register within the
king's mind. He stumbled backwards, collapsing onto the edge of his bed,
horrified by the visions his imagination conjured up. Of the vibrant life
being snuffed out.
	"Rivend...." he whispered hoarsely.
	"I'm sorry," Lancelot said, trying to sound as gentle as possible.
Yet the news itself could not be delivered without sounding morbid or
callous. They were far from the devastation, would never have noticed it
save for the emergency communications the dozens of disabled ships in the
area were sending out.
	"How many?"
	Arthur's voice was quiet. Not subdued, and not mournful.
	Just quiet, hushed and in whispers.
	Lancelot looked up at the elegant ceiling, beautiful Neptuni murals
painted upon them. Of mermaids and beautiful ocean palaces, of a creature
they called the Suravi'ka. Everything seemed real, dancing over their
heads and enticing them to join in the joys of life this planet had to
offer.
	"Everyone," he answered.
	Faded copper eyes closed, a deep breath being sucked into Arthur's
lungs. It was better that he said nothing; what could one possibly say to
the shine of millions of lives suddenly and savagely being extinguished?
	So many questions amidst the grief.
	How could this have happened?
	What had the power to annihilate an entire planet?
	Lancelot turned away, pausing as he placed a hand on the doorpost.
"I'll be waiting outside."
	The Knight Commander left, the door sliding shut behind him. And
leaving Arthur alone in the dark to gather his thoughts and fears.


	Her eyes fluttered open.
	It was strange to think that a dreamless sleep would be so welcome.
	The room was dark despite the morning light trying to creep through
the screens. One of the sliding doors was left half-open; the hallway
beyond it seemed as dark as her room. Crystal blue focused on the shadows,
on her solitude. Her Elven prince was not in the chambers; this was the
first time she had been alone. Alone with her thoughts and emotions, alone
with her dreams and fears.
	Her soul...and her magik.
	Something was causing her nerves to tingle as she awoke. It was
unlike the Elven magik she felt long after Kakkyou would kiss her. This
radiated out from her heart and soul. It was a part of her, like being in
front of a warm fire on a cold winter's night. A shining glimmer in the
darkness.
	Tresses of long blonde hair shimmered in the glow of the two
enchanted candles placed within her room, enfolding her in a soft and
golden bed all its own. She lifted her head, sat up from beneath the
covers. Her hair trailed down over her shoulders. One of her hands reached
up and traced its way down the flow of blonde hair, from the base of her
neck down to where it all cascaded into a golden pool in her lap.
	"What is happening to me?" she asked quietly.
	There was no response.
	She didn't expect there to be one.
	Both Kakkyou and Halefyne were at a loss to explain the nightmares
she suffered whenever she slept, unable to protect her within those
haunted dreams. Those violet eyes still taunted her whenever she gazed
into a shadow, that savage blade causing her to jump whenever she heard
the wind cut through the air.
	And now there had been a new vision.
	One that gave answers yet left so many new questions unanswered. She
had seen that innocent girl with the ravendark hair cut down by the one
calling herself Mistress Nine. It was that woman, beautiful and deadly all
in one alluring face, who commanded the blade she recognized, whose eyes
she saw chasing after her. That glaive had been stained with the raven-
haired girl's blood.
	She had screamed, cried out, begged the harbinger woman to stop. But
that had done nothing except feed the woman's lust for destruction. She
was helpless to save that little girl, just as she had nearly been
helpless to save Maya from that reptilian demon. Ever since it had
attacked, she had dreams she wished to never remember.
	What had happened in that battle?
	Kakkyou and Halefyne had stood their ground against the demon,
fought it and destroyed it. They had to...for it was dead when she woke
up.
	Woke up from what?
	Serenity's eyes widened as she realized her memory was lost between
awakening in Kakkyou's arms, and watching the reptile beast lunge for her
and Maya.
	Awaken....
	The candle flames abruptly flickered, though she felt no winds that
might disrupted them. Red and orange fires danced wildly before being
sucked into the tip of the candle. And she was plunged into momentary
darkness.
	Light arose with a sudden start once more, though now the candlefire
was silver. Shimmering grey hues, majestic and beautiful, swayed to the
song of an unseen wind.
	Awaken....
	Serenity felt her stomach seize up, her heart suddenly pumping
faster. Those voices had echoed across her dreams, and now defied the
borders the two realms of asleep and awake held. She lifted her hand
before her face, crystal blue eyes looking at her open palm. Something was
awakening from deep within her.
	A magik.
	Unlike anything she had ever felt before.
	Such warmth inside her body; why was this frightening her?
	"Serenity?"
	A timid face appeared from around the corner of the fusama. A young
girl stood at the edge of the open doorway, long auburn hair braided and
dangling over her shoulder.
	Serenity smiled, nodding for the little girl to join her. "It's
alright, Maya. I'm awake."
	The child quickly skittered across the floor separating them, and
knelt down next to her. The candles still burned like moonlight, and the
shadows in the room were possessed of a strangely peaceful dance. She
could feel Maya trembling without even touching the little girl.
	Serenity wrapped her arms around the child, pulling Maya closer.
Maya buried her face into Serenity's breast, the tears starting to fall.
"Serenity...I'm scared."
	She nodded, stroking Maya's hair. "I know, Maya. I am too."
	Crystal blue eyes suddenly widened as she saw GlenHawke explode into
her memories. Except now it was in shades of grey, drab and lifeless. As
if time had stopped, and all that was vibrant and alive with it. Maya was
there, frozen with a terrified scream on her lips.
	But she...she was still moving.
	She held colour where there should have been none. Her gown had
changed, become a dress of long and flowing white that billowed out in a
wind that could be neither felt nor seen. The demon crashed down into the
rain-soaked mud, rearing up instantly afterwards.
	Suddenly she knew its name.
	Reptilius.
	Serenity saw herself bearing the mark of a crescent moon upon her
forehead, standing there before the snarling beast. The air was crackling,
alive with a fierce and rampant magik that was coming from her body. Her
heart...it was on fire, being consumed with a purity that she could not
describe.
	Abruptly the Serenity within her memory turned away from Reptilius.
And looked directly at her. The one within her memory knew of being
watched.
	"Awaken me," the memory whispered.
	Serenity blinked, her memories falling away as she found herself
cradling Maya in her arms once more. She looked down at the crying child.
	That youma; it had come for her.
	For this magik hiding inside of her soul.
	Her body felt chilled, and Serenity held onto Maya tighter, fearing
for the little girl's life. Maya had nearly been killed it the attack, an
innocent caught in a lethal crossfire. What if those youma came back?
	What if they came back?


	He couldn't cry.
	Why couldn't he cry, shed a single tear for a lost world?
	The Pendragon had never moved from the edge of his bed, slumped over
in utter defeat, his eyes focused upon nothing. He couldn't even recall if
he had been thinking clearly, or thinking of anything. His breathing was
no longer erratic; the shock had either worn off or taken full control.
	Everything about him was unusually calm.
	Unusually still.
	The only thing that had changed was that the coin-sized lenses once
over his eyes were now on the floor, ignored and forgotten. His hands were
cradling his temples, but there was no headache he suffered from.
	The lights were still off, darkness abounding off every wall and
object in his guest quarters. Ghostly reflections rippled across a part of
the upper walls, a thin shaft of moonlight striking the waves and bouncing
through the window was upon the ceiling. Another night might have found
him awake, looking up from where he laid in bed and silently in awe of the
Neptuni art.
	Yet there was nothing but regret.
	A cold, empty maw left open within his soul. And it echoed of the
darkness where Aurora once was. He had shut down, unable or refusing to 
think, to act, to be human.
	It was all coming to an end.
	Something shifted within the shadows, darkness parting the way for a
new spectre that defied all barriers and securities. Arthur's inner
sanctum was penetrated, though he did very little to acknowledge the
presence of another. He never stirred, shifted or turned his head. The
fact that it had suddenly appeared did not startle him.
	Instinctively, he already knew who it was.
	"Was it my fault, Merlin?" he asked, his voice low and calm. Yet all
life had been drained from it, an echo of the shell he now seemed to be.
"Was it because of me that Aurora's destroyed?"
	The spectre took another step into the pale light cast within the
room. An Ancient stood there, the flickering image of a wizened old mage
watching the king with a look of empathy.
	"Yes and no," the projection answered. "What destroyed Aurora was
something not even I could have prevented; I learned only too late of the
planet's extinguished life."
	An end of existence.
	Cruel and twisted.
	Even moreso, this could be only the beginning.
	If there was an instigator, one powerful enough to deliver death
unto an entire planet, then this was merely a prelude to something darker.
And, as impossible as it seemed, he already knew who was behind all this.
	Morgana.
	"You said I was partly responsible for it," Arthur spoke up again.
"She...she orchestrated this, didn't she?"
	The spectre looked away. "I do not know for certain, but I trust my
instincts. She is the only one who could have gained from such an
atrocity."
	Faded copper eyes were slowly squeezed shut.
	He was taking in every word, each one hitting him like a hammer, the
accusations and implications but a numb pain in the back of his mind.
	Perhaps this was what Merlin had been warning him about for so long.
For years he had refused to believe the words, to do anything about them.
And now his hesitation had culminated in a horrific holocaust that spilled
more blood over his hands. All because of her lust for Camelot, for all
the city stood for.
	"It should have been me, Merlin. I should have died with that
planet."
	"But you didn't," the spectre stated. "You are still alive. Be
grateful you breathe."
	"How can I be grateful?!" Arthur snapped, showing a true emotion
since first learning the news. He lifted his head, glared at the
projection. "Billions of lives were just wiped out--and I could have
prevented that! If Morgana is to be damned for this genocide, then I am
damned too for letting her succeed."
	Merlin seemed to take no adverse reaction. The spectre merely nodded
and stepped closer. "I can understand your grief and fury, Arthur. But
what has been done cannot be undone. If you let your past regrets remain,
they will surely consume your entire future."
	A bitter expression was on the Pendragon's face as he rose to his
feet, standing face to face with the shadow image of the Ancient.
Moonlight rippled across his face, passed through Merlin's.
	"Morgana's not done yet, is she?" Arthur said.
	The spectre glanced out one of the windows, to the ever-stretching
coastal waters sprawled out far beyond the horizon line. From moonlit blue
to ocean darkness.
	"If you remain on Neptune," Merlin stated. "there will not be a
Golden Empire to come home to, Arthur. Return to Earth; I will be there to
fight alongside you."
	He found himself looking out at the same waves as the projection.
Aurora once had seas and waves like this. But now they were gone. But
Earth...Earth still had oceans like this.
	Numbing grief was put into the fire. It screamed, echoed, writhed
beneath a new emotion that was slowly burning its light into his copper
eyes. His memories would keep Aurora alive. And right now, his vendetta
against the Shadows would keep him awake until Aurora's destruction had
been avenged.
	Arthur turned to Merlin. "Give me some time to organize things over
here," he said. "I'll take Neptune's StarChamber back to Earth in a few
hours."
	The spectre bowed, fading out of being. "As you wish."


	The wait was only for a few minutes, five to ten at most. Yet they
seemed to take forever, an eternity of standing and pacing and nervously
wondering what was happening.
	The doors slid open next to Lancelot and he snapped to attention,
more out of sub-consciousness reflex than anything else. Arthur stood
there in the doorway, face pale and eyes red, but otherwise collected.
	"Arthur?" Lancelot asked cautiously.
	There was something about the Pendragon, something different.
Something that seemed of possession. Arthur was already walking briskly
down the corridor, clothed in formal armour rather than fighting armour.
Yet such formal armour itself was only worn on occasions when battle was
either remembered, or expected.
	Excalibur was sheathed over his back.
	That alone captured the Knight Commander's attention; ever since his
decisive duel upon Aurora's inverted arena, the king had never brought the
legendary sword out into the open. Let alone be seen visibly wearing it.
	Lancelot immediately took up the pace with the king.
	"I want you to notify all the major planetary authorities about this
if they haven't already been," Arthur ordered, not even glancing back. The
edge had returned to his voice, sharp and exacting. "Tell them exactly
what you've told me; leave nothing out. I want the entire system on a full
military alert until we can ascertain what the hell happened on Aurora.
And I want as many emergency teams as we can afford deployed within the
hour to the explosion site; our top priority is to rescue any survivors."
	"Yes, Sir."
	The Pendragon turned and stared directly at Lancelot. His eyes were
focused, a fire burning within them. "I didn't spill past blood, including
my own, to see our fragile worlds be dashed to pieces like this," he
stated. They'd worked so hard for peace; he was not about to stand by and
let it be lost. Not this easily. "If we don't take control now, the entire
Golden Empire could fall apart into chaos."
	Lancelot motioned down the corridor. "The Uranus colony's tactical
centre is this way. We can use it as our base of operations for the time
being."
	"Do we know what did this?" Arthur asked.
	The Knight Commander shook his head. "No. But we're tracking an
energy signature that left Aurora around the time of its destruction.
Whatever it is, its power is stable but off the charts. And it's on a
direct course for--"
	"Earth," the king finished, already knowing it. "Lancelot?"
	"Yes, your Majesty?"
	The king turned to his Knight, eyes already revealing what he was
about to say. "What I feared the most has finally happened: we're about to
go to war again. Pray that it ends quickly."


	Haruka watched the undersea empire of Neptune on the other side of
the curving glass window. And in turn Michiru watched Haruka from the edge
of their bed. The tall, sandy-blonde held an expression that to others
would have been mistaken for a scowl. She knew better.
	It might have been solemn, even grim to a certain extent. But it was
not a scowl. Haruka was the type who became determined quiet easily, the
mission becoming the obsession. Partially due to her upbringing amidst
Uranus' military order, and partially due to the person she was.
	Michiru's eyes momentarily darted over to the fading glow of the
viewscreen. Not so long ago, their quiet slumber had been interrupted by
an urgent word from her mother; Aurora had been torn apart beyond belief,
all life upon it wiped out. As the unexpected transmission returned into
the obscurity of darkness, they were both left to question what would
happen now.
	It was doubtful the Uranian delegations would remain. Not when an
unnamed apocalypse had annihilated an entire planet. And that meant they
would have to be separated once more--though this time they might be apart
longer than ever before.
	And there were still the other complications of their hidden
romance.
	"Neither your family nor mine knows that you are here in my
chambers," she said to Haruka. "You don't have to worry about what your
father will say; he will just assume you've disappeared somewhere in the
middle of the confusion."
	"My father's reactions to learning about us doesn't concern me,"
Haruka stated. Her hand brushed against the edge of the glass, and her
reflection showed the dark expression on her face. She could still see
that haunting shadow lurking in the background, of someone whose eyes were
like stars.
	The Uranian princess turned around, looking at Michiru. "What does
concern me is Aurora. There's no telling what this will do to the rest of
the Solis System. My planet's agitated enough to go to war over this;
everything could fall apart in a few hours."
	An enigmatic smile appeared on Michiru's face as she leisurely
leaned back on the bed. "Ara ara, and you would rather not be in my arms
when the world ends?"
	Haruka shook her head, smirking at that remark. "While there's no
place I'd rather be, Michiru, I was never raised to be complacent. I just
can't sit by and let this happen."
	She watched the tall, sandy-blonde pick up the sheathed royal sabre.
"So you would go to war?"
	A pause.
	"I don't know."
	Haruka walked across the floor, sitting down next to the Neptuni
princess. Her fingers gently ran through Michiru's wavy aqua-green hair.
They were so close to each other, listening only to their quiet breathing
and the rhythmic beating of their hearts.
	"I have to do something," Haruka said, leaning her forehead against
Michiru's. Her blue eyes closed.
	"But you don't know what that is," Michiru countered, hauntingly
majestic eyes watching her. "You don't know which side to take, which
destiny to follow."
	Haruka's eyes opened, staring at the Neptuni princess. Her lover.
Her passion. Her obsession. "I would defy the very stars to be with you,
Michiru," she stated.
	She meant it.
	Every word.
	Michiru let her lips steal a kiss from Haruka's mouth. "You don't
need to defy them, love. I'm right here."
	A hushed laugh was drawn from Haruka. "Hai hai."
	Michiru let the scent of her lover flood her senses. Only in
Haruka's arms did she feel complete. And only with Haruka alongside her
would her destiny be fulfilled. "You brought it with you, ne?" she asked.
	"Brought what?" Haruka asked in return, her voice quiet and still
unwilling to disturb the mood between them.
	"Your henshin."
	The Uranian princess abruptly drew away from her, almost ready to
stand up from the sheets. "How did you know about that?" Haruka asked
cautiously, that guarding wall which had taken so long for Michiru to
break down suddenly up in a brief instant.
	Michiru brought out her own henshin, one with the planetary rune of
Neptune engraved on the tip. Sparkles like the depths of the oceans
trailed down her hand as she placed the henshin next to her on the bed.
	And then she slowly leaned forward, letting her lips caress Haruka's
ear with her breath. "You are just like me, Haruka," she whispered. "We
are Sailor Senshi."
	"I wouldn't know that," Haruka said, pulling away again. "I've never
tried to summon anything from the henshin."
	Her demeanor towards Michiru had grown distant in a few seconds,
questioning who her lover was. Questioning who she was. It was one thing
to defy family and protocol, to romance another princess, one whose family
was on unfriendly terms with hers. But now Haruka was looking destiny in
the eye.
	"Can't you feel it calling you?" Michiru asked. "The magik we hold
within us, the power that was meant to be harnessed by these henshins;
can't you feel it calling out to you?"
	Haruka's hand slowly reached behind her back, and then drew out the
artifact bearing the rune of Uranus. "Ever since I first received it, I've
ignored the voices," she said. "It was given to me in a secret ceremony
when I became sixteen; this henshin has been passed down to the firstborn
royal daughter of every generation. My father told me about the legends,
and then gave it to me. He had hopes, but did not fully expect me to be
the true wielder of the henshin. But the instant it was placed in my
hand...I knew I was a Senshi."
	The Neptuni princess placed a hand on Haruka's shoulder. "You cannot
escape destiny, love."
	Haruka placed her hand over Michiru's. "But at the very least, I'll
be close to you."
	They both looked out to the reaches of undersea realms hidden
beneath Neptune's surface. On the other side of the glass was wind and
water and flowing tides. Neither one could return to their lives as
princesses; everything would be thrown away for their cause and battle. A
call to arms had been raised. Sacrifices would be inevitable.
	Such was the harsh reality facing them.
	"Whatever destroyed Aurora has origins outside of our solar system,"
Michiru stated. "That is why we Sailor Senshi of the outer planets have
been called into duty."
	Haruka nodded. "We'll find it, and fight it."
	To save this world, they would descend into hell.
	Yet hell would not be so bad.
	For they would descend into the fires together.


	His hands idly played with an amber rose, spinning the flawless stem
between his fingers before bringing the blooming flower to rest within his
cupped palm. Strange to think of how something so seemingly alien to him
would become such a natural action so quickly.
	This rose; he had thrown it at a creature he had never before seen.
A shadow that had a hellish face and no doubt a hellish name. He didn't
want to consider what it would or could have been called. But this rose-
he had summoned it from the very nothingness of being.
	Magellan turned his gaze away from the rest of the rose garden
sprawled out before him. He had to be honest with himself; the entire act
of playing with the roses was merely something to calm his nerves. Most
everyone who had seen the explosion in the skies was curious. The handful
of others, like him, who knew what that explosion was, were worried.
	Already intelligence transmissions were cluttering up the skies.
Reports and rumours were coming in from not just places around Earth, but
from interstellar vessels and outposts, and other planets as well. Mercury
was incredibly agitated about losing its trade envoy bound for Pluto.
Camelot didn't seem impressed either that their flagship, the Dragon's
Eye, had also been destroyed with Aurora.
	But no one held any certainty as to what had reduced a planet to a
belt of lifeless asteroids floating in space. Rumour control was having
enough of a problem trying to prevent a surge of mass hysteria across
Arthur's realms; some tacticians feared this was an omen.
	The Shadows were going to attack soon.
	However, all the concerns and commotion about Aurora were growing
distant in his mind. It was easier to be calm, remain stoic to such a
tragedy when it was so far away. He was still trying to live down the
adrenaline rush from the morning's attack. Those reptilian youma had been
rather insistent on dispatching not only him, but Myung as well.
	Through that he had discovered a magik of the roses.
	And through that, he had also learned of Myung's secret. Somehow,
despite the initial chaos that reigned after witnessing the explosion in
the skies, she had managed to pull him aside. And everything was laid out.
	It didn't surprise him much to discover she was a princess from
Venus. That actually explained a lot of things. But it was the addition to
her royal lineage that was disturbing him. Myung had told him of the
Senshi, the soldiers destined to appear to protect the Solis System in a
time of deadly crisis. And then came what seemed the hardest shock of all.
Myung had not merely told him; she had shown him that she was one of those
prophesied Senshi.
	"Sailor...Venus," he mulled to himself.
	In truth, he had not the slightest idea where that put his
relationship with Myung. He still cared for her, laughed in her company,
felt alive in seeing her smile.
	Dammit, he still loved her.
	But now he knew she was a princess. Not only that, but some sort of
soldier now too. Should he feel insignificant? Should he beg for her help?
Ask for her to go--or to stay here in Vlatmere?
	"Why does life have to be so complicated?" he sighed in
exasperation, leaning back and sprawling himself across the bench.
	"At least it's not boring," Frederic spoke up, walking into the rose
garden.
	Magellan gave a beleaguered laugh. "As much as I hate to admit it,
you're right," he said. "Anything new?"
	Frederic shook his head. "Not really. More than anything we've got
sketchy rumours and an onslaught of rescue updates. However, you will be
pleased to know that Arthur has just sent word to all the major players:
he's returning to Earth immediately."
	That managed to catch Magellan's attention.
	"Has he called an emergency meeting?" the prince asked.
	"Not yet. The transmission said he will be though, once he arrives.
Magellan, your name's on the guest list." Frederic noted the near scowl
appearing on Magellan's face. "You don't look thrilled to be called to
Camelot."
	Magellan gave his friend and incredulous look. "After what we saw,
would you?"
	"Point taken," Frederic conceded. "I assume you're still worried
about her."
	The prince nodded. "I keep thinking about that document she
mentioned, the manuscript telling of the Sailor Senshi. If they are as
powerful as its says they are, then that means--"
	"Whatever we're up against is just as bad if not worse," Frederic
finished. "I hear you. So, is the fact that she wears a strange skirt
going to put a cramp on your dating plans?"
	He received a punch in the shoulder for that.
	But Magellan didn't deny that his friend had a point; what was going
to happen between him and Myung now? Would their duties pull them apart?
What he disliked the most was thinking of Myung going into battle. Could
he allow himself to let her walk into a war and risk being injured--or
killed?
	Something on Frederic's wrist abruptly beeped.
	"Go ahead," he said, lifting the comm. link to where it could pick
up his voice.
	"Sir," the reply came. "The modifications you requested have been
completed. We can begin upon your arrival."
	Magellan and Frederic glanced at each other.
	"We'll be there shortly," Frederic answered.
	The prince was already standing up from the bench, heading for the
nearest exit from the rose garden. His commander was not two steps behind
him. Myung would no doubt meet them in the chambers--provided she wasn't
already there.
	They needed answers about the enigma that was the Sailor Senshi. And
now was their best and only chance to find those answers. The legends had
a source, a single document. It was time to procure a copy of that for
themselves.
	"You ready for this?" he inquired.
	Frederic grinned. "Hey, I've always wanted to hack into Venus'
protected mainframe."


	Kakkyou and Halefyne were standing on the edge of the courtyard,
GlenHawke's Mother in the open and the Elven lord leaning against a nearby
tree. Both of their gazes were to the skies, their attentions captured by
the dancing lights that refused to die in the afternoon sun.
	"Now there's something you don't see every day," Kakkyou remarked
dryly, the winds ruffling the sleeves of his garments. "What do you
suppose did that?"
	Halefyne bit her lip. "I don't know."
	"We seem to be saying that a lot lately, you and I. Don't bother
denying that we are finding ourselves in the midst of something far more
grander and dangerous than we could possibly imagine."
	She turned to the Elven lord. "The answer is still 'No', Kakkyou."
	Tension inside GlenHawke was escalating each day. Reptilius' attack
had left the students wondering if another might come. No one wanted to
sleep alone in their own room. Magik had been left without practice for
days on end. And it would still be weeks before Sister Rowyn recovered
from her injuries. Everyone seemed to sense the attack as a mere prelude
to something even more terrifying.
	And now this explosion amidst the stars had occurred.
	Winds were blowing across GlenHawke, gentle and cool. Trees rustled,
the surrounding mountain forests oblivious to what was happening all
around them. The moment of silence and quiet beauty passed them by.
	Kakkyou turned his head as he sensed a new presence drawing near.
Serenity had emerged from her sleep; right beside her, clinging to her
gown, was the child called Maya.
	Serenity nodded to them both, smiling as she saw them.
	She never had the chance to speak as Kakkyou pushed off from the
tree and walked towards her. "Serenity," he said. "You're no longer safe
here. I've come to take you with me to Elfhame. The magik of the Elven
will protect you better than the Sisters of GlenHawke ever could."
	She froze.
	In a way she had expected to hear this. In a way she had wanted to
hear this. His kisses had promised her so much to dream about. Kakkyou was
the one she wanted to spend her future with. But now that it was
happening, she was uncertain how to answer. The magik that had changed
candlelight to moonlight was still within her soul.
	Everything was changing....
	"Kakkyou!" Halefyne snapped. "You know there are no guarantees that
the Elves in Arana won't kill her upon seeing her. You're acting on your
own impulses, and that will only harm Serenity."
	The Elven lord turned his head, dragon green eyes narrowing at
GlenHawke's Mother. "Are these the words coming from one whose barriers
were shredded like they were dried up leaves?" Kakkyou inquired coldly.
"That demon creature didn't even have to make an effort to get into this
place."
	His eyes began to flash crimson, the change of colours betraying his
rising anger. His silver hair began to billow out around him.
	Elven magik was being invoked.
	"How confident are you in Elfhame's defenses?" Halefyne shot back,
visibly summoning her own powers as winds started to sweep around her
form.
	Maya gripped Serenity's dress tighter. "Serenity!"
	Serenity stepped forward, coming between a potential battle between
the two. "Stop it, please!" she cried out, silencing them both.
	Crystal blue eyes looked to the frightened girl clinging to her
gown. For Maya's sake, for the sake of the others here at GlenHawke, she
could not put them at risk. That youma whose name was Reptilius had come
for her, and her alone. To leave GlenHawke was to draw the danger away
from the students here.
	They had their own dreams to realize.
	She could not let those precious dreams be threatened.
	Serenity looked to the Elven lord. "I will go with you to Elfhame,
Kakkyou. I don't want to put my friends, my family, in any more danger."
	"Serenity," Halefyne protested. "I cannot let you--"
	"She's old enough to understand that the power she holds is what
these youma want," Kakkyou cut in, his tone finalizing any further
arguments. "Serenity's not a little girl anymore, Halefyne. You've been
her mother since she was brought here. Now it's time for you to let her
go."
	Halefyne looked to Serenity for support.
	She found none.
	"I have been this girl's protector since you first brought her here
to me," she said quietly, her voice subdued for the first time since
Serenity could ever remember.
	"Then let me protect her now," Kakkyou said. Dragon green eyes were
serious in their gaze to the aging woman. "Halefyne, we may have had our
fights and our differences, but I trust you more than I trust some of my
own kind. It's time for you to trust me. On my own, I have more power than
all your combined students here at GlenHawke. The other Elven will stand
with me." He glanced over at Serenity. "She's made her choice; I ask you
to honour it."
	Halefyne watched him with half a glare and half a scowl. "Just
promise me you will guard her with your life," she said.
	The Elven lord solemnly nodded. "By the royal blood of Elfhame that
flows through me, she will not be harmed unless this body is broken
first."
	Halefyne's swallowed hard. "If that is what Serenity wishes, then I
will not hold her back."
	Serenity's face seemed to brighten, a smile appearing amidst the
silent and saddened tears that were brimming in her eyes. Kakkyou was the
name she wanted to whisper when she was about to fall asleep, his jade
green eyes the last thing she wanted to see as she slipped into a
dreamworld. But to be with him still meant giving up her life in
GlenHawke.
	She would be turning away from anyone who cared for her, from anyone
she cared for. With a nod she showed her gratitude to Mother Halefyne,
unable to say anything as her voice seemed choked. Crystal blue eyes
looked down the little girl clinging to her dress.
	Maya shook her head, mouth open in stunned disbelief over what she
was hearing. She looked up at Serenity, desperate for a word of
reassurance. "Y-You're leaving?" she said, the tears already threatening
to run down the child's cheek.
	Abruptly Kakkyou stepped in, waving his hand before Maya. The
child's eyes slowly closed and she fell backwards into the Elven lord's
arms. Sleeping soundly, the little girl would not awaken for hours.
	"It would be best for all of us if we left without anyone else
knowing," he said to Serenity.
	Halefyne nodded, taking the child from the Elven lord's arms. "I'll
take care of Maya. Go now."
	And so a new Serenity's world changed.
	For the better or for the worse remained uncertain.
	Only the future would know.
	There was little for Serenity to do before she left. Kakkyou assured
her there were garments awaiting her in Elfhame, so she took no clothes
with her. She had no personal possessions that were of great value. But
there was still a place she had to see one last time; Serenity said good-
bye to the archives. The books upon the shelves wished her well, yet she
could sense the loneliness already setting into these chambers.
	Before an hour had passed since her choice, Serenity found herself
standing on the edge of GlenHawke's borders. A step over the threshold of
the front gates would find her within unknown territory, realms where
dragyns still might be lurking. She hesitated, the blue skies overhead
displaying billowing white clouds that moved swiftly through the air. The
winds that stirred these clouds also stirred the folds of her gown.
	Serenity looked back one last time at GlenHawke.
	Halefyne was seeing them off, standing a considerable distance away.
Their Mother...seemed a little smaller than usual.
	Serenity waved one last time, and Halefyne returned the sentiment.
	"Serenity," the Elven lord said, already standing outside of
GlenHawke. "We should be moving before the night begins to fall; Elfhame
is a considerable walk through Arana's forest."
	She nodded and took in a deep breath. The threshold was crossed and
she was no longer within GlenHawke. A new exhilaration thrilled her as she
turned her head and saw the gates from an entirely new angle.
	This was freedom, the chance to embrace a new destiny.
	Her future.
	Kakkyou let her draw up beside him before he stole a kiss from her
cheeks. "I swear I will always be with you," he said. "You are my only
reason to live, Serenity. It might seem strange; an Elven and a human, but
I cannot deny what I feel. I love you."
	Kakkyou took her hand in his, and led her into the trees.
	Into the forest isles of Arana.
	Into a lost world where the Elven dwelled.


	They were known as the Jackyl squadron.
	An assemblage of Mars' best and most unorthodox fighter pilots. The
core team numbered twelve, and they were disputably the deadliest
interstellar soldiers the Solis System knew. The only ones to debate the
issue came from Uranus. However, no one from that planet was here.
	Right now, they were the masters of space.
	In a standard formation of 6x6 they patrolled the outer rim which
defined the boundaries between Mars and Earth. Earth's lunar orb was
partially blocking their view of the sun. This was, however, working to
their advantage; the gravitational pull was also masking the presence of
their fighters.
	From inside his cockpit, Arakyn clenched his hand into a ball. The
skintight suit wrapped around his entire body from the neck down gave off
a sound of being stretched. Eyes hardened by constant vigil and duty to
his planet, by the wars that had raged on before the forming of the Golden
Empire, stared at the wall before him.
	It should have been glass. Something to let him see into the depths
of space. But they were running in stealth mode, not allowing the
slightest rise in power to betray their location. Their target was that
energy signature leaving Aurora after the planet's demise.
	Whatever their opponent was, it was not something to be taken
lightly. Anything that could annihilate an entire world meant business.
	For now Arakyn was confined to staring at rows of metal bars, each
one carved with runes that he couldn't read for the life of him. Probably
some sort of operator's manual. But these were fighters crafted through a
mergence of magik, metal and the human will. The Jackyl Squadron piloted
the smallest interstellar vessels that made use of the "living engine"
system.
	The flightsuit he wore was complimentary to the symbiotic
relationship shared between pilot and piloted. It acted to amplify his own
magik, to further feed the engine. As a result, his performance was
enhanced incredibly. He was faster, more agile, harder to catch.
	"I've got something!" one of the Jackyl pilots abruptly spoke up.
"It matches the signature we found leaving Aurora, coming our way."
	"Look sharp, people," Arakyn stated, closing his eyes. His thoughts
grew focused, his mind willing the ship to come to life. Detecting his
energy, the ship answered.
	The living engine system was activated.
	His bodysuit went from a solid shade of deep black to outlines of
electric blue. An intricate design appeared upon every inch of the
flightsuit, casting a sapphiric glow inside the cockpit.
	The thin bars of metal in front of him began to retract one by one,
splitting in half and being pulled away. In their place was a glass
canopy; at last he could see into space now. The stars were twinkling all
around him--but his gaze was focused upon the single beacon of light in
his sights.
	It was growing larger.
	Their target was approaching.
	An image appeared, superimposed on the glass canopy, revealing the
identity of the one who had destroyed Aurora.
	"It's...it's a woman," one of the other pilots said in surprise.
	"Switch to battle mode," Arakyn ordered, working the control systems
of his fighter. "I don't care what she looks like; odds are she'll fry our
asses without a second thought. I want all weapons locked on her before
she realizes we're even here."
	"She...she has some sort of energy field around her," one of the
pilots said. "I can't get a lock."
	Arakyn scowled. "I could use something a little more specific. What
kind of energy field? How heightened is her magik?"
	"Unknown, Sir," came the reply.
	And from her place soaring within the darkened heavens, Mistress 9
smiled wickedly. In time such a discovered magik would be harnessed by the
Inner Senshi. An ability to travel through the emptiness of space without
danger.
	Sailor Teleport.
	But at this moment in time, she alone was the only one who held such
a heightened power to utilize a teleport that didn't require the
StarChamber.
	Violet eyes opened slightly as she noticed her audience. It was time
for the Dark Messiah to play again. But just like the samurai upon Aurora,
the Jackyls were not about to go without a fight.
	"If you can't target her, then target whatever energy she's got
enclosed around her," Arakyn snapped, quickly punching a number of buttons
on a side console. "I want primary weapons systems from everyone online;
each fighter will make one strategic strike, centring on the following co-
ordinates."
	His eyes narrowed.
	"We hit her once and we hit her hard, people."
	Wielding magik was a part of being a fighter pilot.
	There was nothing more devastating an attack than one made by magik.
Each fighter was equipped with a special series of amplifiers that could
unleash a concentrated burst of magik. The speed and punch of the attack
was enhanced almost tenfold as a result. The living engine's computer
would see to adjusting the targeting once the energy pulse had been
launched. But it was the power behind the pilot that determined how deadly
the explosion would be.
	"Status report," Arakyn barked through the comm. system.
	Everyone gave their affirmative.
	His exhaled deeply, his hands gripping the two controllers that
piloted the fighter. Every muscle in his body was tense beyond what they
should have been, the cockpit alive with his magik. "On my mark," he
stated.
	The Messiah of Silence drew closer.
	"FIRE!!"
	Every last ship of the Jackyl squadron let loose their attack, a
volley of propelled magik shooting towards Mistress 9. Trails of the
energy followed in their wake, wisps of incantation fading into the
darkness.
	Arakyn's eyes were narrowed. He was vaguely aware of the sweat
trailing down his face as he used every ounce of strength to force his
projectile to soar faster and harder. They had one chance at a surprise
hit; after that they would have to deal with this lethal harbinger face to
face.
	Mistress 9 slowed her speed, tilting her body so she could properly
face the onslaught. A laugh escaped her lips.
	"Pathetic," she stated, raising the Silence Glaive. The shimmering
blade was pointed directly at the oncoming attack; she made no move to
dodge or escape.
	"Silence Wall!"
	Something crackled within space, black lightening streaking in front
of Mistress 9 as the attacking magik converged. And exploded. The heavens
became ablaze in fireworks as fireball upon fireball spewed out from the
core where the Dark Messiah had once been. Flames and smoke spilled out at
every angle and direction.
	A series of cheers rose up from the Jackyl pilots.
	"Got her!" one proclaimed.
	Suddenly Mistress 9 punched through the inferno, soaring faster than
she had moved before. The energy pulses had never even touched her; the
magik of the Dark Messiah far surpassed that of any mere fighter. Or group
of fighters.
	"Incoming!" one of the pilots exclaimed.
	"Evasive action!" Arakyn shouted, yanking hard on the controls. His
fighter spun left and dropped; out of his peripherals he could see the
others taking his lead. "Jackyls three and seven, draw her fire. The
others move in behind and hit her with everything you've got. And watch
out; she's more agile than we are right now."
	The squadron scattered and went twisting through the heavens, a
number of them charging Mistress 9 while a number just dove out of her
way. The Messiah of Silence dove right into the thick of the opposition.
With a loud shout she raked down the glaive, a blast of magik amplifying
the vicious arc. One of the fighters was cleaved in half, Mistress 9
shooting through the space between the two pieces before they detonated.
	Her Silence Glaive was swung again, the arc broader this time.
Mistress 9's eyes were alive in her passionate appetite for wiping the
squadron out of existence.
	"Silence Glaive Surprise!"
	Everything went dead silent.
	Arakyn felt his own fighter lurch, the cockpit growing unnaturally
quiet. The lights around him began to flash and blink. This was the lull
before the storm.
	And a split second later the heavens exploded.
	His craft was violently thrown, spinning upside-down and backwards
as he tried to regain his senses. The craft was unwilling to respond,
caught in what felt like a death spiral. As if the fighter was trying to
play dead in order to survive the battle. Space and stars were a dizzying
blur of lights, accented by the tremendous fireball that laid claim to the
place where half of the Jackyl squadron had once been.
	Silhouettes were swallowed up as the shockwave tore through anything
solid it could find. Static screamed into his ears. And amidst it all,
Arakyn still fought to regain control of his fighter.
	What followed over the comm. system was total chaos.
	"Jackyls six, eight, two and five are down!"
	"Arakyn, do you copy?"
	"Where the hell is she?!"
	"She's right behind me. I could use some help!"
	"What the--?!"
	Within a matter of heartbeats, Mars' flying elite has been cut down.
As Arakyn managed to get the distorted swirl of stars to settle within his
sights, he could see only two more fighters from the Jackyl squadron still
left intact.
	One had its engine sliced apart by the Dark Messiah moments later,
the ship and its pilot killed by the ensuing explosion. The second one was
soon to follow, though it swung around to face its enemy. Yet every blast
that could be unleashed bounced off Mistress 9's barrier.
	One stroke destroyed the vessel.
	There was a brief moment where Arakyn's craft was stable and
unmoving. And it was then that he could clearly see the Dark Messiah
hovering in space. She turned to him, look directly into his eyes. Her own
were violet, fierce and ready if not eagerly willing to annihilate him.
	She attacked.
	He fled.
	Arakyn winced as one of the wings of his fighter was grazed, exposed
metal pulled back. It didn't surprise him when he felt the blood start to
run down his arm. Like all transports, the fighters relied on the "living
engine." The magik they used was symbiotic to the fighters. If the craft
was damaged in any way, their own bodies showed the identical scars.
	He pulled upwards, throwing his craft into a sharp barrel roll.
Mistress 9 was still in his line of sight; she was following him
leisurely, like a cat allowing the mouse it had caught to run around.
	And then she struck.
	The Silence Glaive was raked across the side of the ship, tearing a
massive gouge through the metal frame. Arakyn convulsed, blood dribbling
out from his lips and down his chin as he felt the side of his belly open
up. Warm liquid washed down his skin, his flightsuit stained scarlet.
	His vessel plunged downwards, making a maddened dash for Earth.
"Come on...!" he hissed, forcing both aspects of the living engine to push
their limits. If he didn't risk his life now, he'd be killed in a matter
of seconds.
	The risk didn't matter.
	An enormous pulse of magik erupted from Mistress 9's glaive, aimed
directly at his escaping vessel. Arakyn threw his craft aside, missing the
core of the blast. But he was still struck, the damage severe as his
fighter pitched sideways.
	In his blurred vision, he could see a blue world through the cracked
glass canopy.
	He was falling to Earth.
	"Mayday!" he called out, sending an emergency signal out to anyone
who might be listening. "I don't know if anyone out there can hear me, but
I'm coming down whether or not you like it!"
	Another buffet shook the fighter, and his stomach tightened up. He
felt sick, and vomited.
	The engine was dying...and so was he.
	"She's coming," he rasped, his voice and air strangled by a chest
that seemed to want to crush everything inside. He was burning up. "She's
coming...."
	Arakyn closed his eyes, and braced himself as the world outside
turned into a fiery inferno. It would be a miracle if he survived re-
entry. But after what he had just witnessed, death might be the preferred
way to avoid another confrontation with the Dark Messiah.
	Seconds later his fighter broke apart, the left wing torn to ribbons
by the force of the descent. Its balance thrown off, the craft made a
grotesque spin that sent it pinwheeling. Sparks erupted along the sleek
metal body as whatever protective shielding and framework the craft had
was stripped off. Inside, Arakyn's body viciously convulsed as his skin
was punctured, blood spraying every direction, the cuts and gashes
matching the damage taken on by the ship.
	The engine core breathed its last.
	Arakyn was killed instantly as the fires swept through his cockpit.
	As the fighter went down in a brilliant crimson blaze, a wave of
magik radiating out from its core, Mistress 9 watched the death with mild
interest. How fragile these human vessels were--both the crafts and the
pilots. If this was the Solis System's best defense, then she had definite
reason to laugh in their faces.
	She smiled, and then giggled to herself.
	Taking over this planet for Pharaoh 90 would be easier than she had
first thought.


	The technicians all stood at attention as Magellan and Frederic
swiftly crossed into the expansive room. A curt salute was given by their
king, his eyes already sweeping the chambers for one specific face.
	Myung turned her head as she heard the abrupt hush of the
technicians. She had already suited up in a private antechamber, receiving
her final inspection by one of the techs as they appraised her interface
equipment.
	A nod from the young woman before her gave approval.
	Magellan adeptly crossed the room and moved down the staircase. If
he didn't double-time each step, he might have just skipped the last
flight. And he was by Myung's side right after. He didn't need to ask if
she was alright; his blue eyes were practically being their own silent
inquisition.
	Frederic took command of the others in the room. "Everybody, as far
as the records go, you were all cleared out at this time," he stated,
pointing to the lead technician. "However, we need you all here in case
anything goes wrong."
	The technicians nodded. They had been warned of the classified
priority this venture held. The presence of their lord, and his right
hand, only validated the need for their unquestioning compliance.
	Frederic remained on the upper level, and leaned against one of the
guardrails as he surveyed the large multi-floored facility. "As far back
as I can remember, I hated these things," he said, frowning. He tilted his
head down at Magellan. "I still do."
	"I know," Magellan replied with a grin. "Every time your routine
training dive comes around, you find some excuse to push back the date as
long as possible."
	Frederic continued to stare at the central piece, his frown becoming
a scowl. It wasn't too far from the truth when he said he hated that
thing. "Why anyone would actually want to be a data diver is beyond me."
	"It's not the weak of heart," Myung said, her tone neither scolding
Frederic nor pitying him. It was a simple statement echoed by a princess
who knew that truth must sometimes be flatly presented to be accepted.
"Only those with incredible physical and psychological stamina can
withstand the pressures of the dive."
	"However," the head technician cut in, reminding them all there were
other members in this conspiracy. "You all are exceptions to that."
	She tugged at the black wetsuit clinging to her body. "Perhaps. But
where ones like you were chosen, we've been trained from birth."
	Magellan's face became slightly flushed, and he cleared his throat
to make for a convenient distraction from that fact. Her suit covered
everything from the neck down...and she was wearing no other clothes
beneath it. Every last contour of her body, though slightly muted by the
fabric, was still brought out more than he felt comfortable with.
	His awkward attempt to remain a gentleman amused her; Myung laughed
quietly, raising her arms and pivoting to let him appraise her a little
further.
	"Tease," he sighed. But he still laughed.
	That made Myung feel a little easier; she could sense his
apprehension. A dive like this was far from being classified as 'safe'.
This one would hold more guardians swimming around, protective protocols
that acted more as lethal predators than a mere security firewall.
	"I'd rather I was going," Magellan admitted.
	She shook her head, smiling despite the solemnness in her eyes. "I'm
the only one who is qualified to do such a hack; my royal passcodes can
get me past whatever guardians they've set up."
	"But it won't take the sentries long to realize it's a royal
passcode that's accessing the archives," Magellan countered. "They might
identify it as yours and run a trace." He cast another glance over her
shoulder. Blue eyes looked up to the seemingly benign beast towering like
a central pillar in the room.
	A large cylindrical, glass chamber was awaiting her.
	Metal and magik all wrapped into one tidy package.
	Bubbles from the liquid inside surged, floating to the top. A
strange concoction that was like viscous water, a fluid tinted sky blue.
It wasn't water. Despite all he had been taught, Magellan still didn't
fully understand what the hell that stuff was.
	All he knew was that this was necessary for interfacing and
accessing any planetary archival system. DataSea: a virtual network
compiling every last scrap of information that had been collected since
Aurora first created it. Technology and magik were again merged, blended
almost flawlessly. To do a virtual dive into this ocean of information was
the fastest and most surreal way to find anything.
	In the DataSea, while it might have been classified, you could find
almost anything. Regular computers and terminals had their limitations of
data transference, speed and organization. But the human element broadened
the entire way the Solis system now looked at such a task.
	Data was no longer downloaded into a mere terminal; a diver could
download it directly into their brain. Magik was the bridge that allowed
technology and the organic to interact so.
	Myung looked back at the glass chamber. "It's time," she said,
looking back to the prince.
	A torn dichotomy was woven into Magellan's expression. This was
necessary if they were to further understand the role of the Sailor Senshi
in this unfolding war. And at the same time, his body grew chilled at the
thought of putting her at risk. A part of him was still on edge from that
demon attack.
	He tried to find a voice of support, words of encouragement. All
that came out from his mouth was aggravated stutters. "Just...just be
careful," he said finally, quietly. "Come back to me, Myung."
	She nodded.
	And abruptly leaned forward, gently pressing her lips against his.
It was stolen kiss that was savoured a few moments longer by each of them.
Eyes closed, not daring to move any other part of their body, Magellan and
Myung simply let the emotions ride the flood of warmth caused by their
lips.
	Up on the higher echelon, Frederic sighed wistfully. "Ah, young
love," he remarked, turning to the technician.
	"Indeed," the technician replied indifferently, more involved with
the screens and interfaces in front of him.
	Myung broke away, blue eyes opening again as she smiled demurely.
Her face was flushed. She didn't seem to mind. There was a stairway that
led to the top of the glass chamber; Myung took her time ascending it, but
didn't drag it out either. If anything she acted unusually calm, as if she
were ready to go for a mere swim rather than a data dive.
	Only two types of people were ever (legally) permitted to do such
"dives" into the enormous pool of data floating across the planets of the
Solis system. One was a certified and trained diver, and the other was any
member of the royal family and their inner court.
	Magellan's entire body tensed as he watched her reach the edge of
the chamber, the princess looking down at the rippling liquid inside. She
adeptly slid a visor over her eyes, ensuring it was secure around her
head. There was nothing else she would take save for the suit covering her
skin. That was all she required for an interface.
	All that was left was for Myung to dive.
	And breathe in the fluid directly to the lungs.
	"The first sign of trouble, I want her pulled out," Magellan said,
looking up at Frederic. "A guard dog gets too close, her presence is
detected; I don't care."
	Frederic nodded. "You do realize afterwards, you were never here,"
he added playfully to the technician.
	The technician gave him what might have been an unimpressed look.
"I'm already feeling the amnesia, Commander."
	Somewhat taken aback by the retort, Frederic shrugged his shoulders
at Magellan.
	Myung visibly took a deep breath, and then plunged into the chamber.
There was barely a splash from the liquid as she was enveloped. Everything
rippled, throwing an eerie dance of light across the entire room.
	Her kiss was still on his mouth, Magellan's lips tingling. As if she
was still there in front of him and not submerged into that bizarre
sludge. He could have walked up to join Frederic and the technician, to
watch her progress from the terminals. But from here the sense of
helplessness wasn't so great.
	He would remain close to her.
	And if something went wrong, he'd use a rose to shatter the chamber.
	Myung floated in the middle of the glass chamber, back slightly
arched, arms partially extended. Her palms faced outwards; Magellan could
only guess if her eyes were closed behind the mask.
	Lips moved.
	She drank in the liquid.
	There were a few moments where she convulsed, her body panicking
when it registered that the lungs were filling with fluids instead of air.
Whatever choking noise she made was silenced by the chamber, everything
from where Magellan stood happening in pantomime. With each spasm her body
went through, his entire being tensed. He suddenly realized he was
clenching his jaw, hands tightly balled up in fists.
	Slowly Myung calmed down, her body now drinking up the oxygen
circulating in the liquid. Her long blonde hair billowed out behind her,
strands clinging together.
	"All biorhythms are within acceptable parameters," the technician
reported. "Heartbeat steady. Brain algorithms are stable."
	Frederic and Magellan slowly turned their heads, sharing a brief
glance at this prelude. "Let the hack begin," Frederic stated, turning to
the head technician.
	The tech nodded, finger hovering over a single button.
	The dive was activated.
	Bubbles surged from the grating beneath Myung. And with the bubbles
came numerous black cables. They were thin in diameter, metallic nodes on
the ends guiding them towards her. It was like watching a swarm encircle
their prey. One cable snaked forward, sliding next to the edge of the
wetsuit at Myung's neck. The node rippled, and then burrowed.
	Fused with the suit.
	From where he stood, Magellan could no longer see the seam where the
cable began and Myung's suit ended. The other cables began their own
fusion, taking various place along her suit. The majority focused around
her chest and back. Others brushed against her arms and wrists and legs.
	Very soon Myung resembled a hellish-looking battery.
	The visor was protecting her eyes from the liquid in the tank. But
it had another usage; since this dive was a virtual one, she needed
something to directly see and interact with. Aurora was--or had been but a
few days ago--working on a special interface that didn't require the visor
for a dive. One that might render the entire suit and chamber obsolete.
	But that dream would never be known now.
	Countless lives and dreams had ended.
	Myung vowed, as both a princess and as a Senshi, to stop this from
happening to any other worlds. That more than anything else was what gave
her the resolve to perform such a risky data dive.
	Her visor abruptly came on.
	White light flooded her field of vision, and she squinted.
	A part of her still knew she was floating in a glass tank somewhere
on Earth; that meant the second phase of the dive had yet to be initiated.
	It was done so moments later.
	The white light faded and dissolved. Blurred into nothingness, and
then became blue. She could vaguely make out the reflection of her face
within the visor. And so she focused on that as her body started to
tingle, the nodes working their magik.
	Watching it become her.
	Watching it become her....


	She found herself standing on the edge of heaven once more.
	The same heaven.
	A different edge.
	Setsuna blinked, turned her head in surprise. Her last memory was
that of a flood of light coming from the Raithe's garnet orb. An orb that
echoed of her own unique magik. One that whispered of the trails of time,
and left a strange beating in her heart.
	So foreign yet so familiar all at the same time.
	But the Raithe's games were far from over. More than ever now, she
could hear something in his cryptic statements. A growing knowledge of
what it meant to watch over the continuum that was time. He wanted her to
tell him something. What that exactly was, she was still working on.
Regardless, there was a growing urgency in his presentation; the games
were fading away, and he was stating instead of riddling.
	Her thoughts about the Raithe faded away as Setsuna looked around
her new surroundings. Whitened tiled floors stretched out before her, and
behind her, and all around her. The guardress of time found herself next
to a small fountain, its marble heads spewing forth crystal waters into
its basin.
	She was in a grand hall that seemed to go on forever, the walls
curving into archways of strange and elaborate designs. And yet everything
resembled a skeletal framework, large picture windows of varying shapes
matching every curve and bend the metal made.
	Everything here was expansive and open.
	Claustrophobia would never be an issue here.
	Nothing seemed to be bright despite the white hue seemingly being
the only colour here; the light was toned down to a dim glow. Perhaps to
resemble the evening. As far as she could tell, the only light came from
the stars around her.
	Abruptly an almost mechanical voice spoke up.
	"I bid you greetings, Sailor Pluto," it said. "Welcome to Castle
Charon."
	Needless to say, that startled her. Setsuna gave a cautious glance
over her shoulder, finding nothing. She pivoted, looking further around
the atrium, scanning it for any other presence. "Who are you?" she asked,
tilting her head and looking up to the enormous dome overhead. It took her
a few moments to realize that this dome was in fact just a round metallic
frame without the glass.
	Above her, there was nothing to separate this place from the cold
void of space.
	"I am the core consciousness of this castle," the voice answered.
"And I have spent many years awaiting your arrival. My former master--"
	Setsuna whirled. "Who?" she demanded.
	There was an awkward pause, as if the castle was taken aback by her
sudden attentiveness. Finally the voice replied, "He prefers I call him
the Raithe."
	So she didn't just happen to find herself here by mistake.
	"My duties lie to the one who watches over the streams of time," the
voice added. "You will find that only you have the authority to access my
archives and functions. Even the other Sailor Senshi who will soon appear
cannot enter this place unless you allow them to."
	"You know about the Senshi?"
	"The Raithe has been quite specific about their history in the
Senshi Wars, and their destined roles during the Messiah Wars. I do,
however, lament in that he has taunted me at every possible turn. I may be
this castle's consciousness, but even I can only extrapolate so far."
	Setsuna rolled her eyes. "Hai hai, that sounds like him."
	She began walking down the grand hall, looking at the vastness of
space the view had to offer. In all honesty, she had to admit it felt
awkward talking to a disembodied voice. But at this point in time, she
wondered if bringing up the subject might somehow hurt "its" feelings.
	"So...what do I call you?" she ventured.
	Evidently this thing, this place, this whatever-it-was had its own
self-aware intelligence. Setsuna deemed it insulting to merely address it
like it was a machine.
	"The Raithe always called me a pain for getting on his back all the
time," the voice stated. It remained for the most part indifferent, but
she could hear the hidden exasperation. "I do so hope this trend will not
continue with you."
	Setsuna couldn't help but smile and laugh.
	This consciousness certainly had personality.
	"I would prefer you referred to me as Charon," the voice continued.
"And as my new master, I am at your services, Sailor Pluto."
	"What can you do?" she asked.
	"What do you want?"
	That took her aback. And in all honesty, she wasn't sure how to
respond to that. It momentarily sounded as if Charon was near-omnipotent.
	"My apologies," Charon said, apparently sensing her sudden
discomfort. "It would take too long for me to elaborate on all of my
possible functions. If there is something you seek, for now the fastest
method is to simply ask if it is within my parameters to do it."
	Sounded simple enough.
	But Setsuna still found herself a little leery.
	She continued down the hall, the sound of her boots against the
polished floor. Well-trimmed plants lined the metal framework of the hall,
a few other potted trees blooming in the centre of the vast promenade.
	"You mentioned something about 'Messiah Wars'. What are they?"
	"I'm afraid I cannot answer that as completely as you would like me
to, Sailor Pluto."
	"Please," she said. "Setsuna's fine."
	Again Charon seemed to pause in awkward consideration. "Hai.
Setsuna, as far as I am aware, we are in the Messiah Wars right now. The
destruction of Aurora marked the war's official beginning. The only other
data I have is based on various archival resources from the Ancients, and
intercepted reports coming from the Golden Empire."
	"Show me those," she stated, pausing in the middle of the corridor.
	"There's a lot of information to process."
	Her eyes narrowed. "Can you filter it, then? Look for anything
indicating the source of Aurora's destruction."
	"Ah, you seek the Dark Messiah."
	Abruptly a series of lights came on, providing just enough
illumination to reveal a curving staircase amidst everything else. The
overall quiet and midnight ambience was not spoiled by the sudden glow.
	"This way," Charon instructed her. "When you reach the top of the
stairs, go to the hallway on your left. At the end of it, you'll find the
doorway leading into my command centre."
	Setsuna nodded, though unsure if Charon would actually register that
as a response, and moved to the stairway. She took a moment at the height
of the stairs to glance back at the promenade behind her. From this
vantage point, the grand hall looked even larger than before. And
incredibly peaceful, if not idyllic. Someone had gone through a lot of
work to make her--or at least, the one in her position--comfortable.
	The left corridor was taken.
	The architecture was still fashioned to give an expansive feeling,
large slender windows on one side of the corridor looking out into space.
Setsuna could see her guardian planet from here. Magenta eyes glanced up,
and saw the glass windows neatly curving to become one with the ceiling as
well as the walls. There was in actuality no glass; just the metal
framework and a large space where a viewing port would be. It looked as if
there was nothing separating her from the vacuum beyond. Setsuna found
that more than a little disconcerting.
	The hallway rounded a corner, and then came to an abrupt end. On
three of the four walls there were only minimal supports neatly dividing
the open spaces. To her right was the doorway. But before stepping
through, Setsuna had to indulge her curiousity--as well as quell her
fears.
	A gloved hand hesitantly reached out to where some form of glass
should have been. The air abruptly rippled when her fingertips brushed
against it, flowing sluggishly like viscous water. She could feel her skin
tingling from the touch, a small charge of magik flowing through her hand.
This magik was forming a transparent barrier that no doubt enclosed the
entire castle.
	So that was how she could live out here without windows.
	Not sure if that had entirely put her concerns to rest, Setsuna
turned to the door. The door flickered out of existence, revealing an open
archway for her to cross through.
	The other side held some spectacular wonders in and of itself for
her to behold; the time guardress stopped on her second step, looking
around Charon's command centre. The ceiling was high, archways not unlike
what she had seen on the promenade sloping to meet at a central focal
point; overhead was another exotically-designed dome.
	Consoles, some free-standing and others built into the walls, were
everywhere. The free-standing ones formed a semi-circle around a large
viewscreen built into the wall, leaving an abnormally large amount of
walking space in the main area. Setsuna glanced over her shoulder, and saw
that the wall directly opposite the grandiose screen was nothing but glass
for an aquarium.
	As far as she could tell, while the aquarium was extremely long and
high, it was only few inches wide. That didn't seem to stop the numerous
undersea wildlife from swimming around in the clear waters, and amidst the
coral reef located at the bottom. Setsuna studied the detail of the
aquarium.
	"That's not real, is it?" she said. There was too much depth in what
she was seeing to be contained in a chamber this compact.
	"It is a projection," Charon admitted. "However, it's very close to
the real thing."
	Setsuna reached out and once again probed the surface with her hand.
Yet this time no resistance was found and her fingertips slipped into the
aquarium. The glove got wet, and numerous smaller fish instantly scattered
at the disturbance. She withdrew her hand, puzzling over how this was
possible.
	"I told you," Charon said, sounding almost smug. "However, we can
discuss the aquarium later. You wished to see the information on the Dark
Messiah?"
	She nodded.
	Dark Messiah...the Raithe had called Mistress 9 by that title as
well. Something vaguely familiar about that title, about this entire
situation, nagged at her. What wasn't she seeing?
	Abruptly the chamber was filled with cascades of images. Magenta
eyes narrowed as she surveyed the multitude of viewscreens all around her.
None really seemed fixed to the walls, even the larger ones. Everything
gave a perfect image of whatever she was watching, yet the screen itself
was but a sliver in the air. A few random ones were rotating in place,
giving way to a dizzying sight as one perspective constantly changed
angles.
	"These are interactive screens," Charon explained. "Everything
responds with the lightest of touches."
	One image was a cosmic map that was just as tall as she was, and far
far wider, showing the various planets of the Solis system. Orbital
pathways, various small dots with their identifications...and a strange
violet marker which originated from the asteroid fields of Aurora, moving
directly to--
	"Earth," she said grimly.
	"A short time ago, a transmission from a Mars attack squadron
reported the Dark Messiah in Earth's proximity," Charon said. "The
commander ordered them to engage her. They haven't been heard from since,
and are presumed dead."
	She spent a few moments in silence, musing the details over to
herself.
	"Charon, can you see into the future?"
	She figured it was a question at least worth venturing; Charon
seemed well-briefed on the situation at hand--especially the more abstract
angles relating to the timestream.
	"I'm afraid only the guardian of time has that privilege. As far
back as my own memories go, I was constructed sometime during the Senshi
Wars by unknown people. I am merely here to act as a base of operations,
and an exhaustive archive on the history of the Solis system since I was
brought online. I can extrapolate events and outcomes, but the further
into the future I go, the less accurate I become."
	Somehow she had been expecting that answer.
	Her onee-san seemed quite specific about who was chosen to stand
vigil over the tides of time. For a long while, she had believed she was
the only one. Now it appeared the Raithe played a larger role in this duty
than she had imagined.
	She turned sideways to look at another screen. It was a dimly lit
bedchamber, exquisitely decorated. She could see in the background an oval
window looking out into an undersea empire. Neptune?
	But the two young ladies seated on the bed were what caught
Setsuna's attention. "Who are they?" she asked. She was certain she had
seen them before, but with all the faces she had seen since arriving in
the Golden Empire, everything was becoming one big blur.
	Charon paused to do a brief scan of the image. "Princesses of
Neptune and Uranus, two of the outer planets in the Solis system."
	She nodded. "I remember now. I met the Neptuni princess about five
years ago, when their delegation visited Aurora."
	One of Setsuna's eyebrows went up as she saw the two cuddling in
their quiet moment. As much of an uproar as it might cause, she considered
the idea of the two being lovers as just what their warring worlds needed.
In her time spent on Aurora, watching over Hotaru, she had come to learn
of the conflict between Uranus and Neptune--and subsequently with the rest
of the Golden Empire. Reading about this ongoing cold war was an
exhausting exercise unto itself.
	"Oh," Charon added, almost as an afterthought. "They are also Sailor
Senshi."
	The soul of the castle didn't seem to find this revelation
surprising in the least; that nonchalance with which it delivered the
identities of the two women was what made Setsuna's eyes nearly bulge out
of their sockets. She could hardly keep her voice lowered and calm.
	"They're...what?" she asked, wanting to make sure she had heard
right.
	"Hmmm...perhaps I should have given you suitable warning about that
first," Charon considered, more to itself than to her. "Sincerest
apologies; getting accustomed to a new master will take time. I've only
known the Raithe and his methods. And he's known about these two
for...decades, I think. Quite possibly longer."
	"It's okay. Really," she reassured the castle. The shock was dying
down, replaced with a new rush of adrenaline and excitement. All this time
she had been watching and waiting for other Senshi. At last the soldiers
were awakening.
	Magenta eyes studied the contrast of characters.
	The tall sandy-blonde looked every part the masculine military
leader Uranus prided itself on fashioning. And yet this woman melted into
sublime compassion when in the embrace of the aqua-haired princess. One
whose demeanor in but a single glance of the eyes dripped with refinement,
like it was an intoxicating perfume.
	Setsuna was almost reluctant to ask, fearing a negative answer. So
much was at stake already; allies were desperately needed. "Do they...?"
	"Hai," Charon answered. "They've known for years now about their
roles. And with the Dark Messiah's arrival, the time has come for them to
take up the duties of the Outer Senshi."
	Setsuna scowled, a pang of frustration rising within her. To have
the power to gaze into their world, their private chambers, and still be
unable to do anything about that. Warn them, tell them of what was
happening, reveal that they were not alone in their struggle.
	"If only I could bring them here," she muttered.
	Charon said nothing in response.
	And then abruptly, "Done."
	Setsuna froze, an expression of mixed confusion and disbelief on her
face as she slowly turned away from the screen. "Wh-What?" she said.
	"You requested they be brought here," Charon said matter-of-factly.
"And since they are Outer Senshi, it is within my powers to do so. They
await you in the promenade."
	She groaned, shaking her head. "Next time, warn me when you're going
to do something like that."
	While she wasn't sure if she really meant it to be, her tone was
very much a scolding one. Setsuna could have sworn she saw a sweatdrop
hovering next to one of the screens.
	"Um...sorry." Charon sounded more than just a little embarrassed.
	"I'll just assume it's a habit you've picked up from the Raithe, and
leave it at that," she said, briskly exiting the room.
	"You'll have no qualms with me there," Charon said, sounding
relieved. There was quiet in the room for a while longer as Setsuna's
echoing footsteps faded into silence. The door reappeared, closing off the
command centre. One by one, the cascades of hovering screens were turned
off.
	And somewhere from within the mechanics of the castle's core
consciousness, a wistful sigh was made.
	"Admit it," the Raithe said, abruptly emerging from the very air.
Starlit eyes glanced up at the dome and the cosmos beyond it. "You like
her."
	"I admire the fact that she treats me as an equal, and doesn't tease
me about the future," Charon retorted. "She also has nice legs."
	"Ecchi."
	Retorted Charon, "Oh, and I suppose your interest in her is purely
professional?"
	A chuckle came from the Raithe as he turned to the primary
viewscreen. Robes of darkness fluttered around his form with each minute
action. "Ara ara," he conceded. "You have me there."


	The moon's rays were covering the forest in a delicate glow that
night, as the hour of the Elven approached. Midnight. For countless hours
the two had ventured deeper and deeper into the heart of this forest that
was a part of Kakkyou's home.
	Elfhame was not too far away now; he could hear the distant din of
crashing breakers that marked the bluffs separating the mainland from the
isles of Arana. Soon they would reach the cliffs and descend through the
forest into Elven domain.
	"It's good to be back," he said, shedding the vest and its long
tails. Bare-chested, he allowed the winds to sweep past him, skin tingling
at the caress.
	Wiping the beads of sweat from his brow, Kakkyou marveled at how
cool the forest air was--and that even with it being this cool, he could
still sweat so easily. He glanced back up at the moon, and could have
sworn he saw a shadow on its surface smiling back down on him. Kakkyou
blinked, shaking logic back into his brain.
	Dragon green eyes glanced back at Serenity.
	She was just standing there, smiling fondly at him.
	He couldn't help but suspect she found something about this amusing.
"What is it?"
	"You," she answered. "I can see your eager anticipation in the way
you keep darting ahead, in how you seem to be breathing as if for the
first time. You're acting like an excited child."
	He gawked, the expression on his face betraying the fact that he
couldn't think of anything to say to her in response.
	"I think it's cute," she added.
	Kakkyou blinked again.
	It took him another few moments to gather his wits, and think of a
proper retort. A smile tugged at his lips. "You must be hungry," he said.
"We haven't eaten much since leaving GlenHawke."
	He continued to step closer to her, eyes fixated on hers. There was
a strange intensity to his gaze. Uncertain of what he was going to do,
Serenity found herself taking a step back. Her cheeks grew flushed as
their faces came closer and closer still. She could feel his warm breath
surging against the cool night air.
	Elven hands were raised between them, palms so close to her cheeks.
He never let his gaze slip, jade eyes focused entirely on her and her
alone. And then with a rapid snap of the wrist, an apple appeared in
Kakkyou's palm. His dead serious demeanor vanished, a playful smirk on his
face as he presented the fruit to her.
	"For you, Serenity," he said. He winked at her.
	Serenity's face blushed even more, her entire thought process
faltering. She could have sworn he was going to kiss her. And now that he
hadn't, merely teasing her with the idea, a part of her felt angry at
being denied a taste of his lips. The other part of her was relieved that
his determined stare was merely a ruse.
	Love seemed to be something whose strings the Elven race excelled at
pulling. Though because it was Kakkyou, she didn't complain. This was, for
lack of a better definition, his way of flirting.
	He took a few steps back, rotating his wrists as if to show there
was nothing he was concealing. That in itself would have been an
impressive feat, considering how his shirt and vest were draped over a
tree branch. Another quick gesture resulted in a second apple appearing in
his palm.
	Kakkyou flashed her an impish grin as he waved his other hand in
front of the apple. The hand was drawn away, only to reveal a bird of prey
that rose up and spread its wings. The falcon took to the air,
disappearing amidst the canopy of foliage over their heads.
	Again he brought his hands in front of his face, one on top of the
other, concealing his features. The sides of his palms against each other,
he held the makeshift facade there for but a heartbeat. And then he
swiftly pulled them apart. One hand was drawn upwards, the other down.
	Everything came in a rapid blur.
	And over Kakkyou's face was a whitened mask, accented with streaks
of crimson painted on to form intricate Elven runes. He leaned forward,
hands gesturing to inquire of the performance. Serenity was unable to say
anything, shaking her head and laughing at the spectacle. She was too
amazed with this Elven slight of hand to give him any worthy verbal
praise. Other students at GlenHawke were studying such Shadowspell
techniques, but none had ever been as fast and effective as the one
standing before her now.
	Kakkyou chuckled to himself as he removed the mask, abruptly
crushing it into a ball like it was a mere scrap of paper. He waited for a
moment with the crumpled mask nestled in his fist before opening up his
hands to reveal just the night air.
	"Parlour tricks," he admitted, walking up to her. "Even Elven
children know how to do this. I'd show off a little more to you, but I'd
need more room."
	Serenity laughed. "That's fine."
	She took a bite of her apple.
	And then Kakkyou abruptly leaned forward and gently kissed her on
the cheek. "I'd do anything to see your smile," he whispered, confiding in
her.
	The colour in her face went flushed once more. She turned her face,
letting her lips find his. The forest faded into a dull memory as they
kissed, and then reluctantly drew apart.
	Crystal blue eyes were shimmering as she watched the Elven lord
glance over his shoulder at the surrounding vegetation. Whenever she was
with him, there was always a warmth within, a kindling reminiscent of that
stranger power she seemed to secretly possess.
	A magik that wanted to be awakened.
	Perhaps her lover was the key to this.
	Serenity turned her head as a small flying rodent soared past her,
chattering as it darted back into a tangle of tree branches and vines.
	"I'll be right back," the Elven lord said to her, fetching his
attire.
	Putting his shirt back on, Kakkyou leaped towards one of the larger
branches that could hold his weight. The Elven magik burned in his veins,
a few flickers appearing beneath his boots as he took off into air,
effortlessly bounding up to the highest points of the forest.
	He gazed out through the treetops, appraising the distance left to
Elfhame. From here he could see much of the mountain range that laid
around them, a vast expanse of lush green vegetation, a virgin realm
untouched by the hands of human civilization. This was one of the last
pure realms of magik.
	Glancing back up at the sky, he sighed as he watched the moon. The
lunar body in a darkened sky shone its pale kiss down on him. Kakkyou
wrinkled his brow at the thought. "Serenity," he said quietly to himself.
	He could have traveled from GlenHawke to Elfhame in a matter of an
hour or two; it was a part of his Elven powers to run with the winds. That
was how he usually journeyed whenever he had visited Serenity in the past.
	But now...now she was with him, and he wanted to keep this time as
eternal as possible. Let the hours pass them by in a quiet and unhurried
walk through this tangle of forestworld. He didn't care.
	All that mattered was Serenity.


	Beneath the deception of Ilsa Esylin's faded guise lurked another
kingdom. Veiled in Shadowspell and darkest of secrets, it remained a realm
of stone caverns and strange, labyrinthine rivers of flowing water.
	Morgana was seated upon her throne, legs strewn about and draped
over the armrests, a hand hanging over one side. She idly let her fingers
dip into a channel of water that was defying physics in flowing through
air, without borders or difficulty. In her other hand she held her
caduceus.
	The ancient sceptre's diamond sparkled in the dim light of her
throne room, shimmers catching the glow of the twin moons high overhead.
Her own sapphiric eyes watched the light play off the gem's facets with
mild interest.
	It was only a matter of time now.
	She continued to wait in her own private silence.
	Eyes of sapphire blue closed.
	And remained so even when something rustled within the boundaries of
this hidden world. Winds blew through the throne room, quiet yet cold in
their ominous motions. And then a lone woman entered from beneath one of
the enormous stone archways. Violet eyes pierced the surrounding shadows,
long dark hair flowing behind her. Black marble, veins laced in crimson,
echoed the sound of the newcomer's unhurried footsteps.
	Morgana smiled.
	"Ah, you've arrived," she said, opening her eyes.
	Before her, Silence Glaive in hand, stood Mistress 9.
	"You...you were the one who sent me a message of greetings as I came
to this world," Mistress 9 stated, both suspicious and disliking of
Morgana already. "You sought out my mind and my magik. How did you know
about me?"
	Morgana withdrew her fingers from the floating river, sat up in her
throne. Once more the demure smile presented itself, the implied shimmer
in her eyes betraying how much she knew about the face of darkness. "Is
that any way to talk to the one who helped create you?"
	That seemed to get Mistress 9 all the more defensive. "What would
know about me?" she demanded. Her tone was even and cold, something not to
be taken lightly.
	"You were once a little girl named Hotaru," came the answer. "Yet I
have brought into bloom a beautiful flower of darkness. And here you are:
a seductive woman, who has the power to destroy an entire planet if she so
wishes."
	There came with that a subtle reminder of a debt. A respecting of
the demands made by she who might call herself "mother" to the Dark
Messiah.
	"What do you want?" Mistress 9 demanded.
	"What is rightfully mine," Morgana replied. She rose from her
throne, approaching the Messiah of Silence. "My brother, Arthur, has
fumbled with this empire long enough. He's afraid of what he has built,
like it might crumble into dust if he holds it too tightly. The Solis
system does not need such weakness in its ruler. He believes diplomacy
will work every time, that leaving me alone is a solution unto itself."
	Sapphire blue eyes gazed darkly at Mistress 9 as Morgana paused
before her, and then moved towards one of the fountains.
	"I killed his beloved wife with a knife laced with Shokkan
poison...and what did he do? Nothing. He did nothing but mourn for her. He
couldn't even bring himself to hunt me down."
	The Silence Glaive was switched from being in the grip of one hand,
and into the other. Mistress 9 leaned slightly against the polearm, her
long raven-dark hair fluttering from the breezes in the caverns.
	"You wish for his death."
	The thought of taking another life seemed to excite her; Mistress 9
smiled, giggling to herself.
	Morgana nodded. "I want him silenced. Permanently. His dying empire
shall become mine, and I will breathe new life into it." She smiled,
glancing back over her shoulder to Mistress 9. "And you, my dear, are
going to help the Solis system realize that I alone am worthy of ruling
it."
	Morgana let her palm hover over the surface of the water. Ocean
liquids rippled and then bubbled, churning and bringing up a whitened
froth. With the front came a ghostly image: a map of the country, small
yet three-dimensional. And more exact than any other map, courtesy of her
skilled invocation.
	She gestured for Mistress 9 to join her.
	"I shall begin mobilizing my forces towards the capital city of
Camelot," she stated. "We'll naturally take the time to wipe out a few
small cities along the way--but when you reach Camelot, I don't want a
single stone burned or broken."
	"Why?"
	It was a simple question. Any child could have asked it.
	But coming from the Dark Messiah, the question was laced with a
defiant evil, daring Morgana to find a reason to actually leave something
standing in Mistress 9's lethal wake.
	"What was once Arthur's shall become mine," Morgana said, her tone
menacing enough. "That means his throne, his kingdom and his beloved
city."
	The Messiah of Silence looked away. "I have my own obligations."
	"Your duty to me comes first," Morgana countered. Her own fierce
glare could have easily matched that of the Dark Messiah's. "Without me,
you would have never come into being. Do this, and you will be released
from my services."
	Mistress 9 appraised her silently.
	As a predator might sum up the skills of its prey.
	"What do you wish for me to destroy first?" she asked at last.
	Morgana pointed to a specific place on the map, her touch causing
the image to change into a three-dimensional view of the city in question.
"Hakkeda," she stated. "Word of its destruction will spread faster than if
we destroyed any other minor city."
	"It shall be done," Mistress 9 said, bowing slightly.
	"I'll be sending a small garrison of my Shadow army to escort you,"
Morgana added, still focused on the cityscape of Hakkeda. "However, they
will remain at the city outskirts. I'm entrusting you to work your blak
magik on its heart."
	Again Mistress 9 bowed in compliance. "Have them ready in a few
hours. There is something I need to investigate first, and then I shall
begin your conquest."
	Violet eyes looked to a darkened corridor. The Dark Messiah turned
and began to exit the throne room.
	Morgana watched the woman leave; she could not help but marvel at
the terrifying powers this messiah held. The winds and darkness could
sense it, and were afraid.
	Mistress 9 faded into the shadows, leaving Morgana alone.
	Or perhaps not.
	The edges of darkness within the throne room began to move of their
own desires. Something shifted in the blackened realms behind her. Magik
rustled, and hissed a warning.
	"I don't care whether or not you trust her," Morgana said, scowling
over her shoulder at the churning darkness. "She's a means to an end. Once
she kills Arthur and wipes out his armies, I can take his place. Mistress
Nine will ensure the other planets follow my orders. And then, Metalia,
you will be freed...and you can destroy that woman at your leisure."


	The Man With No Name dodged a stray blast of fire as a pyromage
performed his singeing feats before an entranced audience. Those who dared
to be so close to raging fireballs seemed to be the ones with the most
cash to spend on the thrill of an adrenaline rush.
	They should try riding a rampaging dragonwyrm.
	He had become submerged within a large, expansive and very lively
crowd that was dancing the remainder of the night away. Enchanted lights
of all colours made the street a surreal realm as masquerade dancers
pranced and paraded down the cobblestone paths.
	An aquamage was conjuring up shapes and images using the water from
one of the nearby fountains. The water fluttered and slowly rose to form
the image of a swam. That performer received numerous applauds and coins
for his efforts.
	Hakkeda's revelry passed before his eyes in a forgettable blur, and
so he moved through the crowds like a disappearing dream. Clouded eyes saw
nothing and everything all at once, the rippling folds of his long
overcoat making him a shadow unto himself.
	No one seemed to notice that one of his hands was still covered in
the dried blood of a now-deceased thief. The Jabberwocky might have
destroyed a small district with its ravaging appetite, yet the rest of the
city still had reason to celebrate.
	The Man With No Name glanced over at another performance up on one
of the stone dais beside the fountains, raised a few feet above the
regular street to give the audience a chance to see the magic. It was a
more exotic act that all the others. One magician was talking and jesting
with the crowd, pleasing them greatly. She herself seemed exotic, and very
bewitching to the male onlookers.
	But it was her associate who caught the Man With No Name's
attention. This partner of sorts started out as a young man. He watched
as, upon the lady magician's command, a crystal ball was thrown and
exploded into a stream of smoke. The young man was enveloped in the cloud
of smoke, only to have it dissipate a split second later. The young man
was replaced with a falcon. Another crystal ball was thrown, and the
falcon morphed into a long, slender dragon.
	The Man With No Name detected something about this other person; a
dark aura surrounded them. There was more than mere illusion. This person
or creature was wielding powerful magic.
	A shape shifter.
	Yet not one whom he was searching for.
	The dragon disappeared in a stream of smoke once more, and assumed
to form of a large, white tiger. The crowd cheered and applauded. The Man
With No Name moved on. He could feel a strange electricity in the air,
magik itself on edge in anticipation.
	They were coming soon.
	The Outer Senshi.
	And something else....
	The Man With No Name abruptly turned his head, looking to the
horizon that would soon see the sunrise. "Shadows," he whispered. He
extended his middle finger, used it to push the tinted lenses back up the
bridge of his nose. "So the Dark Messiah wishes to claim this place as her
own twisted graveyard."
	He opened up his palm, watching the black fires crackle over his
skin. The Jabberwocky was still hungry, and let that fact be known by a
low, guttural growl.
	"Patience," the Man With No Name said, closing his hand and
extinguishing the flame. "We must wait for our escort first. And then you
can feed."


	The fishbone-white hair was gone, as was the guise of a wizened old
mage. Instead the Ancient who appeared as young as any fit prince stood
before one of his tables. Eyes hiding a multiplicity of lifetimes and
their secrets narrowed as another futile solution ended.
	And with an enraged shout, Merlin viciously swept his hand across
the table, throwing its contents onto the floor. Glass shattered and books
toppled over and magik winced from the harsh blow. Camelot's private
chambers were allowing him to fume without witnesses. The only ones who
could interrupt him in this state were the other Ancients...and they were
all dead now.
	As one of the most powerful wielders of magik on the planet, he had
been able to track the Dark Messiah's descent into the atmosphere. But
then she simply vanished from all his senses. Even he, an Ancient, could
no longer find her. For hours he had been making attempt after vain
attempt to harness whatever magik he knew, and draw out any residual
traces this woman might have left behind.
	So far, nothing had worked.
	Millions of Aurorans had already died. And unless he could find
something to help Arthur fight this evil, Earth would be consumed next in
a tide of darkness and destruction. Merlin refused to let any more people
die in vain.
	The tragedy of an entire world could have been prevented.
	If only....
	If only....
	"Hello, Merlin."
	Merlin spun around, leveling a hard punch to the Raithe's cheek. "I
have nothing to say to you!" he hissed, intuitively knowing who had
abruptly appeared to visit him.
	Right now he was frantically working to counteract everything the
Raithe had set into motion. And yet as he saw the Raithe's eyes filled
with starlit heavens, the Ancient showing no signs of pain from the
strike, Merlin knew he could not justly condemn those actions.
	And for that he hated the Raithe.
	The metal rings of the Raithe's shakujyo chimed together as he
straightened himself up. "I know," he said, lifting a hand and lightly
touching his bruised cheek. "You want to turn away, scorn me, hate me for
what I've done. But you cannot look away because you know that I did this
for the future. You are burdened just as I am, and you cannot condone my
actions because you know why I have done them."
	Merlin turned his back, leaning against the table. Since he couldn't
bring himself to glare at the Raithe, he opted to glare at the cleared
tabletop. "Insensitive bastard," he muttered.
	"I have seen more people live and die than you could imagine," the
Raithe stated. "The tides of time are merciless, Merlin. In remaining
distant, I am able to complete some of the most hellish tasks ever set
before a single soul."
	"Like unleashing that woman?" Merlin retorted angrily.
	The Raithe nodded. "Hai. Believe me, the last thing I ever wanted
was to see Aurora and her people destroyed. There's nothing more I can say
to make amends for what I did. But what must be done must be done."
	Merlin forced back another urge to lash out and strike the Raithe.
He slowly turned to face the only other Ancient left alive. "For the sake
of the future?" he asked, if not demanded.
	Again the Raithe nodded.
	But kept silent.
	Neither one spoke. They simply watched the other.
	Merlin's eyes still possessed the anger of watching a world burn, an
enmity directed towards the Raithe. He was determined to undo what had
been done, no matter what the sacrifice might be.
	But there was an eerie remorselessness in the Raithe's cosmic orbs,
attesting to his statement that he had become a cold stoic in order to
allow Aurora's demise. And yet, Merlin could see the traces of humanity
that were left within the ghostly figure standing before him.
	"Your friend visited me," he said finally, in response to the
silence. "I have seen the future you wish to shape; Sailor Pluto showed it
to me." He paused. Hesitated. "And I do not see either of us within it."
	The Raithe looked away.
	As if something in one of the vast corners of Merlin's domain had
caught his immediate and full attention. The unspoken answer was one he
seemed to prefer to remain unspoken.
	"We're not going to make it, are we?" Merlin pressed.
	The Raithe shook his head.
	Such a prospect no one ever wanted to face; life was precious, and
many would cling to it and claw at it until the bitter end. But they were
Ancients, ones who had seen countless years pass them by. They understood
the significance of change, and with it the inevitable termination of
their own lives--but they still didn't have to agree with the end when the
time at last came.
	The Raithe's eyes returned to gaze at Merlin, orbs reflecting dozens
of beautiful and haunting constellations amidst an eerie darkness. "We
have a choice," he said. "Our ends are inevitable, but we have the chance
to let it end as we would want it to be."
	"And what will yours be?"
	"Poetic. Ironic. Either one doesn't really matter to me. I'll let
those who come after me decide for themselves." The Raithe drew closer to
Merlin, his voice quiet and solemn. "For once, time is not on my side. I
have seen the beginning of this war, and you, Merlin, must help see it
finished."
	He paused briefly.
	"This will be our last duty to fulfil as Ancients, as the unsaid
guardians of the Solis system."
	Neither one spoke of who would take up the responsibility of
watching over this system after they were gone. Both already knew; Merlin
understood after meeting with Pluto, and the Raithe perhaps always
understood it.
	The Sailor Senshi were returning.
	There was no longer a need for the Ancients.
	"Any ideas what happens after this?" Merlin inquired.
	The Raithe shrugged. "I pick the lock into heaven, and we sneak in
through the back gates?" he ventured.
	Merlin found the will to laugh, though it was a bitter one. "When
the time comes, I'll take the point."
	That in turn evoked a chuckle from the Raithe. "Hai hai."
	For now, most of the tension in the air between them was breaking
apart. But there were still other matters to discuss of the utmost
urgency.
	"So what do we do in the meantime?" Merlin inquired, waving his hand
in the air. A projection appeared between them, a rotating image of
Arthur's home country. "Rumours are filtering in that Morgana has begun
mobilizing her biggest offensive yet. Looks like she's ready to take full
advantage of the confusion caused by the Dark Messiah's arrival.
	"I hope you have some sort of idea, Raithe," he admitted. "I've been
here for hours and come up with nothing. Our best bet thus far is to
ensure Camelot is armed to the teeth; I've already send word to the
surrounding provinces to prepare themselves for war."
	"Iie. Morgana has recruited the Dark Messiah into her ranks." Eyes
of midnight heavens closed momentarily. "It is not your place to fight
Mistress Nine; she is too powerful. However, the Messiah of Light is here
on Earth."
	Merlin felt a chill run down his spine, an uneven mixture of
excitement and fear. "What?" he said, wanting more than those few
enigmatic words.
	But the Raithe had already turned around and was walking away. The
rings of his shakujyo echoed across the chambers. "Protect her when you
find her, Merlin. Guard her with your last breath and magik. For she is
the beginning of the future, and the end of the Messiah Wars."
	And then he was gone.
	Merlin exhaled through his nose, his shoulders sagging a little. "It
always has to be the hard way whenever you're involved," he remarked
dryly.
	Everything was falling apart around them; the Dark Messiah had
appeared, Aurora was destroyed, Morgana's armies were on the move, and the
Golden Empire seemed to be at its tragic end.
	But there was hope now.
	And no matter how small it might be, he would cling to it until it
could become a reality.


	Haruka didn't seem to be letting the tension in her body ease up.
And Michiru could hardly blame her lover. One moment they were lightly
brushing lips in eager anticipation of one last kiss. And then suddenly
this domain replaced the undersea serenity of Neptune's palaces.
	Princesses stood in a grand hall whose walls curved into archways of
strange and elaborate designs. And yet everything resembled a skeletal
framework, this promenade area left open and expansive in its own serene
beauty.
	"I don't see any windows," the tall, sandy-blonde stated, blue eyes
looking upwards to the heavens above. "So how can we be still breathing?"
	"There are many mysteries in this universe, love," Michiru answered
quietly. "It would appear one has decided to seek us out."
	Though they were facing different directions, their hands reached
out and grasped the other's. Oblivious to their edginess, the water from a
small fountain nearby continued to flow with a soothing, constant sound.
	"My apologies for the abruptness of your arrival," a female's voice
said, pleasant and echoing across the grand corridor.
	Their mysterious host appeared.
	She walked slowly down a set of stairs, her skin tanned and her hair
long and dark, shimmering almost as emerald in the evening ambience
created by the cosmic folds around the castle. She wore a strange uniform
of bows and pleated skirt, and in her hand was a metallic staff forged to
resemble a key.
	Haruka bristled at the source of this intrusion.
	She placed herself between the approaching woman and Michiru. While
she herself was not a young lady who would idly stand by in pale fear,
Michiru silently smiled at her lover's protective heroism.
	They did not move, and did not speak.
	They merely waited for their hostess to stand before them.
	And give an explanation.
	"Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune; I bid you greetings," the woman
stated, bowing slightly. In those magenta eyes, in the entire motion of
her body, there was visible a deep respect for those given titles.
"Welcome to Castle Charon."
	The name of their newfound location fell upon deaf ears.
	Both princesses took the revelation rather well: they didn't
immediately attack their hostess. Haruka's eyes neither widened nor
narrowed, but the shock and subsequent defensiveness was still there.
Michiru herself sucked in her next breath and held onto it. The embrace of
their hands grew tighter.
	"What?" Haruka said, sounding about as civil as she possibly could.
	"You have your henshin," the woman explained further, unraveling
with but a few simple words the secrets that had been hidden over the
course of many years. "You both know the soldier's destiny awaiting you. I
am here to show you what that destiny is, for we are both fighting in the
same battle."
	Michiru tried playing with diplomacy; she could sense her lover's
readiness to strike with whatever weapon could be found. That included
Haruka herself. "Are we to assume we share a common interest?" the Neptuni
princess inquired.
	The woman nodded. "Hai."
	She held out her key-shaped staff, the garnet orb glowing and
bringing a haunting shimmer to the otherwise dimly-lit promenade.
	Haruka and Michiru felt their skin burn as the magik found them. It
was not like being of fire, subject to pain. This was a different, an
inferno consuming the heart of their beings. There were no more secrets
that could be hidden, no more dark places to lock away the fears and
doubts and excitement. Planetary runes appeared on each of their
foreheads, glowing brightly into the night that was the darkness of space
surrounding the castle.
	The tall sandy-blonde bore the mark of Uranus.
	The aqua-haired princess held that of Neptune.
	Everything suddenly became so clear in that moment, and both turned
to face the one who had invoked a power that was awakening within them
all.
	Magenta eyes closed, and the tiara over the woman's forehead
vanished. In its place burned another planetary rune. The one of Pluto.
The guardress of time and its portal opened her eyes once more, stared
solemnly at the other Outer Soldiers.
	"I am Sailor Pluto," she stated. "The soldier of time."
	That quiet execution of her magik did more to convince Haruka and
Michiru than a century of words could have ever hoped to achieve. Their
anger and suspicions died down, and they were willing to listen.
	And so Setsuna laid everything out before them.
	Aurora.
	Mistress 9.
	The Grail.
	Throughout Setsuna's recounting, Haruka and Michiru listened
silently and held each other's hand. Neither one opened their mouths to
speak. Not until the explanation was at last finished.
	"So now what do we do?" Haruka asked.
	Michiru smiled, hands wrapped her lover's arm. "Darkness has always
had opposition, love. If we cannot destroy the Dark Messiah, then we must
find the one who can."
	Setsuna nodded in agreement. "It is up to us the find a Messiah of
Light, before all life in the Solis system is extinguished forever."


	The rose garden was deserted.
	A sanctuary which had served to ease his tensions and pains remained
empty, the flowers inspiring only the light of the setting sun. If one
could sense the magik within the garden as one senses a change in the
warmth of the air, one would discover a certain sadness possessed by the
flowers. They could sense the brooding of their lord and gardener. They
remained acutely aware of the pressures that were resting upon his
shoulders.
	When such a time came to pass, Magellan found himself always in one
place. One place where everything could fall into some sort of proper
perspective, and where he could see past, present and future all embodied
within a majestic view of Vlatmere. Upon one of the ledges, at one of the
highest points on the castle, Magellan sat. Legs dangled over the edge. A
dizzying view and fatal fall awaited him far below.
	Sprawled out before him was a castle and kingdom, and he could see
people scurrying through the streets like ants. Beyond the grand walls
laid open country and beautiful fields. Off to one side, an immense
cluster of trees testified the presence of a forest within Vlatmere
province. There were other forests to be sure, yet those ones--darker and
far deeper than this--remained near the edges of his kingdom.
	Bangs of dark hair fluttered in the cool, evening winds, and his
eyes remained focused on the amber rose being absently played with between
his fingers.
	"Whenever I want to find you," came Frederic's voice from the
doorway. "All I have to do is follow the staircases. I'd swear you were
trying to make me exercise even more than I already do."
	Magellan smiled a little and turned his head. "Evening to you too,
Frederic."
	"You haven't been up here by yourself for quite a while," Frederic
sighed, leaning against the longbow in his hands. "At least, not since
Myung showed up. Why restart the trend?"
	Magellan glanced back out at Vlatmere.
	After the data dive, Myung had been exhausted both physically and
mentally. She managed to reserve enough strength to recount what had
happened during the dive, and reveal what the locked files in the Venus
mainframe had to offer. Magellan had left her a few hours ago in her
private chambers to rest; as far as he was aware, she was still sleeping.
	"You're still thinking about what she told us, aren't you?" Frederic
asked. "You're still thinking about the Senshi."
	"More about Chaos, to be exact," Magellan countered.
	Frederic strolled up to the edge, raising a hand in front of his
eyes to shield them from the autumn colours the sun was painting across
the expansive skies. "Chaos...not bad for a name: short, dangerous, and to
the point." He glanced over at Magellan. "Evil yet practical," he remarked
dryly.
	"There's a lot of information surrounding that Chaos creature that
has me concerned," Magellan said. Of primary significance to them now was
the history of the Sailor Senshi. There were sketchy accounts of their
origins, and most of their mentions centred around the Senshi Wars.
	A battle across systems and cosmos.
	An ancient war fought against an entity called Chaos, which could
corrupt even the pure hearts of the Senshi. Soldier had fought against
soldier, with Chaos pulling many of the strings. The legends had spoken of
a stalemate and defeat--if one could call it that--between Chaos and the
most powerful Senshi in the galaxy. Vague whispers of a battle upon a
lifeless rock, and of Chaos' presence simply vanishing, were all that
remained to tell the outcome of the tale. Yet even the soldier who fought
against it had disappeared, her whereabouts unknown also.
	Magellan continued to twirl the amber rose around his fingers. Had
there been thorns on the stem, his skill would have ensured the jagged
edges miss his fingers. "We're in over our heads, Frederic," he admitted.
"I can barely comprehend what it must have been like to have so many
soldiers in the galaxy. Imagine what they knew then."
	"It would no doubt pale to what we ourselves have already
accomplished," Frederic agreed soberly. "But remember that this is a
legend, a story taken from events centuries--and maybe even millennia--
ago. And unless I'm delusional, a lot's happened in the past few hundred
years. We've made progress, Magellan; given how this system was seen as
'rural' by the other Senshi and left alone, we should be proud of all
we've done."
	"But that still doesn't explain how or why those henshins were
brought to the Solis System," Magellan countered. "There are no
indications that the Ancients were involved with it; for all we know, this
predated them."
	"Sometimes mysteries will forever remain that way," Frederic said
with a shrug. He turned to stare at the view of the kingdom. "Get used to
it. I have."
	There was silence from Vlatmere's king.
	"But that's not what's worrying you, is it?"
	Magellan nodded. Blue eyes narrowed. His fingers ceased twirling the
rose. "The Senshi came into being to fight against the immense evils that
were plaguing the galaxy, against creatures of unspeakable darkness and
power. We were untouched by these wars...but someone still felt that there
should be Senshi here. Just in case the darkness decided to come our way,
and annihilate the peace we've struggled to establish. And now those
Senshi have started to awaken."
	If Myung was the first, then she would not be the last.
	Something was definitely unfolding before them, a chain of events
that would shake the entire Solis System to its very foundations.
	Magellan spun and hopped off the ledge. "I fear for the future,
Frederic," he said solemnly. "And I can only hope and pray that what's
unfolding now isn't fulfilling that 'Just in case.'"


	"She's so strange."
	Serenity bent her head, continuing to distantly hum a sad and
beautiful song--and wishing that she could ignore the whispering voices as
easily as she could entice the flowers to grow with her gentle voice.
	"What do you think it is?" a second Elven asked.
	The first shrugged. "Damned if I know. But it's powerful, possibly
moreso than what Kakkyou can wield."
	The two Elvens abruptly froze upon realizing their lord was standing
right behind him. And the expression on Kakkyou's face was not a pleasant
one.
	"I trust you have something more constructive to do with your time,"
he remarked icily.
	"S-Sorry, Milord," the first stuttered, scurrying off.
	The second one merely raised an eyebrow before fading into the
shadows. As one who stood amidst the higher ranks of Elfhame, she could
get away with a seemingly rude exit. "You don't know either, ne?" she
inquired with a sly grin as she vanished.
	Kakkyou shook his head as he stepped over the entanglement of roots,
and hopped down onto the more level ground where Serenity sat. It was hard
to remember at times that this wasn't actual solid earth, but moss, tree
roots, and assorted other sands and stones all caught up in Arana's
continent of isles.
	The trees were tall here, towering high over their heads. A canopy
of innumerable shades of green kept out most of the sunlight during the
day. It didn't really matter; here the forest glowed with a magik all its
own.
	"Good evening, my love," Kakkyou said. He knelt down beside her,
took her hand in his and gently kissed it. A tribute to her beauty, a
gesture he seemed more comfortable in making now that they were away from
GlenHawke.
	Serenity smiled, crystal blue eyes catching the shimmer of this
place. Her blonde hair held the colour of gold itself, of a priceless
horde catching light in such a way that everything became blurred, and all
that could be seen was a simple yet brilliant mirage.
	When he ran his fingers through her hair, he could still feel the
dampness from her swim about an hour ago. Arana held amidst the tangle of
trees and their roots a vast array of pools. The salt water was purified
by the forest and made drinkable. This was where the Elven bathed, where
they played, where they held their water games with the water nymphs that
frequented the larger pools.
	Kakkyou could have almost mistaken her for a mermaid, watching her
naked form glide effortlessly through the water. It was almost frightening
to see the water nymphs forming an escourt wherever she swam; the nymphs
rarely ever showed themselves in the presence of a human.
	He knew it was all a part of her magik.
	After the Reptilius youma had attacked, he had ultimately decided to
take Serenity into Elfhame protection. And that meant betraying his
playful secret to the others like him. Kakkyou ruefully thought back to
the startled silence that had first washed over the Elfhame council, and
then over the Elvens themselves.
	An Elven prince in love with a human.
	The stunned quiet lasted only so long. It was immediately replaced
with grumblings by some, loud protests by others. Yet he had made his
decision. And in no uncertain terms, he addressed those in Elfhame that
unless they wished to challenge his authority, they should shut the hell
up.
	No one brazenly stepped forward.
	Kakkyou was royal blood.
	On one hand, to attack royalty was treason punishable by death.
This, Kakkyou admitted to himself, was the argument he was ready to use to
ensure Serenity's safety among the Elven as well; as his betrothed, she
was already considered his Queen. To make an attempt on her life would
mean no mercy in return when it came to retribution.
	And then on the other hand, Kakkyou's powers were known well enough
by the Elven. With his combined strength, fighting prowess and use of
magik, he had no equals here in Elfhame woods. The first one deluded
enough to try and fight him would have been pleasantly wounded--but not
killed.
	Kakkyou intended to make an example of his love.
	And dedication to protect her at all costs.
	"You must be hungry," he said. "I don't think you've eaten in hours,
and that swim must have done something for your appetite."
	Serenity laughed as she lightly ran her fingers along the stem of a
sleeping flower. The blossom opened with her caress, the flower turning
its coloured head towards her in recognition of the one whose touch
stirred it back to life. "Watching me bathe again, Kakkyou?" she said
coyly. "I never knew you were such a voyeur."
	For the first time since she had known him, Serenity saw the Elven
lord's face get flustered. His expression might have remained unchanged,
but his flushed cheeks and the way his eyes abruptly darted as if looking
for something else to focus his attention on, betrayed him.
	That made her laugh all the more.
	And for that Kakkyou was silently grateful. Her transition from
GlenHawke to Elfhame was going smoother than he had expected, or hoped.
	There had been a grand reception awaiting them when they at last
arrived in Elfhame. Aside from the obviously-absent perimeter guards,
everyone had come to see the young human with long blonde hair, the girl
who had thoroughly enchanted a near-legendary Elven enchanter.
	No problems or protests had come as Kakkyou took Serenity's
trembling hand in his, and led her down a pathway. One lined with Elven
who bowed in reverence and respect for their prince. And then, most
unexpectedly, for her as well. Telling the Elven of her strange, hidden
magik did little good. Kakkyou knew it from the start; they would only
understand once they experienced what he had felt one cool midnight
sixteen years ago. When they sensed it as she walked past them, felt it
whenever she was in their presence, the Elven race came to believe.
	Serenity had quickly become more than just a mere human to them in
the days and nights that had passed since the formal reception of their
Queen-to-be.
	And they respected Kakkyou's desire to marry her.
	Some now applauded it. Though not for all the same reasons. A few
believed Serenity was the key to the Elven race reclaiming that which was
rightfully theirs. Namely becoming the dominant race upon the Earth.
Kakkyou had no love for such a cause, and he knew Serenity would share in
his opinion.
	He pulled her up to her feet. "Now then, shall we see what strange
delicacies I can tantalize you with tonight?"
	"I'd be delighted," she replied, bowing slightly.
	They shared a chaste kiss, then journeyed into the heart of Elfhame.
	Grand were the trees here, towering like spires on a castle. Many
had been hollowed out and furnished to accommodate the Elven inhabitants
of Arana's isles. Other Elven had made their homes in the middle of the
many skeins of roots this forest held in abundance.
	And many more didn't keep what one might consider a home. There was
no permanent dwelling place to return to night after night--though
everyone had their favourite haunts. Elven are wanderers by nature,
thriving on fluidity and finding it best in a game played with either
humans or other Earth creatures. These Elven rested in the branches of the
trees, or else by the side of a crystalline pool, or perhaps somewhere
else that caught their attention.
	The heart of the Arana was where the Elven race congregated, and so
while the entire forest might have been Elfhame territory, only this place
was called Elfhame.
	And tonight, Elfhame was celebrating.
	What the celebration was for, Serenity wasn't too sure. Neither did
anyone else for that matter. But no one seemed to mind, and certainly none
seemed to care. The mood this night was a festive one, and she was invited
to join them.
	A meal was set out near one of the larger freshwater pools. Water
nymphs frolicked and flirted with some of the Elven males, trying to get
their attention.
	Serenity ate, and they all feasted.
	Kakkyou kept his promise to demonstrate more of his skills now that
he had more room. Dragons were conjured up from thin air; a dozen
Kakkyou's started to play a strange game of tag with each other all around
the trees; a hovering rose was set ablaze, the fires abruptly breaking
apart to become clouds of smoke that took the form and shape of dancers.
	She was captivated as the wisps and trails of grey mist moved to a
rhythm matched by the flutes and stringed instruments being played in the
background. Somewhere in the middle of the meal, Kakkyou revealed his own
flute and piped a melody. He then left the flute, which continued to hover
and play its song, and invited her to dance.
	It was awkward to admit this was her first time, especially in such
company. Yet Kakkyou refused to let her slip away, and moved slowly so she
could learn the motions. The music slowed to accommodate them as well. And
so they danced for much of the night.
	And somewhere along the way, the two lovers were left alone by the
Elven revelers. Music became a distant noise, and the forest grew darker
to feed their quiet mood. Songbirds chirped in the absence of sound. The
canopy of green overhead pulled away to reveal the silent shimmer of the
moon. It was brighter on this night.
	A sign of her symbiotic magik.
	Serenity abruptly stopped dancing. Uncertain as to why, a look of
concern marred Kakkyou's expression. It melted away as she laced her hands
behind his neck, pushing the bangs of silver hair away from his face.
	Crystal blue eyes looked up to the moon.
	Legend whispered of a magik between lovers that existed with the
moon. When two lovers were separated and gazed upon the same moon on the
same night, their voices would be heard in each other's dreams. She
wondered how many nights had been passed at GlenHawke, where she had
waited to hear his voice.
	Kakkyou looked back down at Serenity.
	His bride, his beloved.
	She looked up at him, her blue eyes quietly beckoning to him as they
always had and always would. Their faces drew closer together, and each
one closed their eyes as a bond that surpassed all magik and science took
control in their souls.
	Time stood still.
	Their lips met, and gently they kissed.
	The moon began to glow with a fierce radiance, and the wind rose up.
The stars shone brighter, and the songbirds were quiet in that moment.
	A moment of a kiss.
	An eternity of passion.
	A destiny of love.


	One might have hardly recognized the trio of wandering women to be
Sailor Senshi, let alone that two of them were planetary princesses. Each
one was dressed as they preferred, each in what they deemed "civilian"
clothes.
	Despite looking overdressed compared to the motley assortment of
revelers here in one of the crowded street parades, Setsuna felt rather
underdressed as she glanced over her shoulder at Haruka and Michiru.
	The two were walking arm in arm, and for the most part Michiru
seemed to be enjoying herself immensely. Haruka held a possessive glare
that directed itself upon anyone unlucky enough to let his or her eyes
fixate on Michiru for anything more than a mere passing glance.
	A roving waiter carrying a tray of complimentary drinks circulated
the area. Not about to forgo the indulgence, Setsuna managed to
effortlessly grab hold of one of the champagne glasses as he passed by.
The drink itself held a surprisingly sweet taste, bold and euphoric. An
aphrodisiac fashioned to heighten the thrill of the crowd.
	They had been here in Hakkeda for hours already. Aside from simply
touring the energetic streets beneath the lights of countless coloured
lanterns hanging overhead, the Outer Senshi had accomplished little else.
	On the other hand, Michiru in her stunning Neptuni gown--a haunting
aqua-marine fabric which was near transparent--was garnering quite the
attention. Haruka's challenging glare managed to keep any would-be suitors
at bay.
	Setsuna couldn't help but smile to herself as she downed the rest of
the drink, and then set the glass aside on a nearby table.
	"The Messiah of Light isn't here," Haruka stated plainly, never
straying more than three or four steps behind Setsuna. She scowled at the
seeming futility of their mingling. "I can't sense anything at all that
might let us believe she would be in such a place as this."
	The gregarious if not rowdy setting was evidently causing the tall,
sandy-blonde to bristle. More than likely due to the near dozen, drunken
proposals she had received for either a dance or something a little more
risqué. One particularly deserving character managed to discover what it
was like to have the Uranian princess' fist send him pinwheeling into a
patio table.
	Setsuna turned her head, long dark hair spilling down over her
shoulders with the movement. "Iie. There's something else." Magenta eyes
scanned the crowd from another angle, trying to discover the enigma
lurking somewhere in the city. "I don't know what it is, but something's
here...waiting for us."
	"I'd actually argue he's already found you," a new voice spoke up.
"What took you so long?"
	The three ladies turned their heads.
	Around them, the cheers of the crowd and music of the performers
grew to a dim background static.
	The Man With No Name stood between Haruka and Michiru, and Setsuna.
His long black redingote, the white cross shimmering in the lanternlight,
rustled as he took a step back and motioned with his head for them to
follow.
	A brief glance was given by Haruka, skeptical of this person being
the "something" in question they were searching for. Setsuna quietly
admitted she had her own doubts. Certainly he held that air of mystery,
and the dark attire he chose to wear added to whatever secrets he was
hiding, but he seemed too...too human. And in all honesty, given past
trends, she had expected to encounter another female.
	Surprisingly, Michiru seemed most critical. "You're the one we came
here to find?" she remarked, not too impressed.
	The Man With No Name grinned, and ran his fingers through his dark
hair. "We have much to talk about, Senshi. We should adjourn to a quieter
place."


	It was almost midnight in the city square, where the moon shone down
upon a labyrinth of cobblestone paths mixed in with green grass and mighty
trees, sided with a calm, blue lake, and surrounded by a mismatched set of
building designs.
	There was no wind in the square; not a leaf even twitched while it
clung to its branch. The grass was still, the flowers in their beds stood
tall and unbending. The surface of the lake was clear and untainted by
waves. A few revelers had escaped from Hakkeda's eternal celebration to
seek time alone here. There was no single person laughing quietly.
	One cannot kiss alone.
	The hushed laughter from these couples only added to the calm of the
city square, the quiet that nobody wanted to break. Somewhere in the
distance the music and cheers of the rest of the city could be heard--
though it was a far away sound and thus never given a second thought.
	Everyone went on kissing.
	Seducing.
	And then there was a breeze. Leaves rustled, flowers swayed, water
rippled. The breeze grew to a wind, and the wind grew to a fierce gale
that was limited only to the very heart of the city square. A few pairs of
lovers closest to the storm broke away from one another's gazes, and
watched with rapt fascination the latest phenomenon to overtake Hakkeda.
	Suddenly an electrical bolt exploded from the trunk of a tree,
shooting across the cobblestone paths and striking another tree trunk. A
second burst of magik exploded from a lamppost, directing itself to the
cobblestone path.
	More furious arcs burst out from the ground and trees, drawing
towards a single place on the cobblestone path. They brushed against each
other, collided and fused, loud popping and hissing coming from their
activity. The square began to glow a brilliant blue-white.
	The pairs of lovers watching this spoke not a word, not a laugh, and
not a whisper.
	Amidst the glowing light and writhing magik, a figure began to take
form. As the shape became more defined, the magik shot out to connect with
it, feeding it. The form took an even more solid and defined shape, until
a woman's silhouette emerged.
	As abruptly as it had begun, the frenzy of dark magik stopped, and
once again the square was silent and still. The woman stood straight and
unmoving, her head bowed. The dying winds caught long strands of raven-
dark hair.
	Violet eyes opened, and the woman gave a savage smile.
	Mistress 9 took up her glaive.
	And prepared to reduce the city of Hakkeda to an ashen crater.


	They were standing in a deserted courtyard.
	Strange to think there could be any place in Hakkeda that was
without noise or noisy souls. Secluded behind a wall of stone archways and
a veil of hanging vines and flowers, this place beheld a quiet beauty
meant for a nobleman's family. The family was out for the night. Perhaps
dining, perhaps celebrating at the mansion of another as rich as they
were.
	He had led them here, moving as they would, bounding across walls
and rooftops as if gravity meant nothing. The edges of his overcoat acted
as his wings, black folds billowing out around his body. None of the Outer
Senshi had trouble keeping up with him; they glided through the air as
swiftly as he did over the buildings and alleyways, shadows in the
darkened skies. Beneath, dozens of street parties remained oblivious to
their presence.
	The four landed at last, here in this quiet courtyard.
	"I suppose now you wish to seek answers from me," the Man With No
Name said, staring evenly at the Outer Senshi.
	"The thought had crossed our minds," Haruka answered coldly.
	"However," he added, casting a glance over his shoulder at the
flickering lights that could be seen through the veil of flowers. "There
is something else too. You are seeking the Dark Messiah."
	He paused as he drew up beside Michiru; she barely flinched as he
moved his head close to hers. The shades hid his eyes, yet none could be
certain of what he was looking at. "No," he said quietly, as if seeing
something, akin to a hunting dog catching the scent of its quarry. "What
you seek is not the Dark Messiah, but the Messiah of Light."
	Aqua-green eyes slowly looked up to meet his gaze, and Michiru's
lips became an enigmatic smile. "How would you know that?" she inquired.
	The Man With No Name smiled, amused in that he himself could provide
no answer. "I don't know. I'm discovering my destiny as I walk along its
path."
	He held out his hands, and Haruka stiffened upon seeing the shine
from the dried blood on his dark sleeves. Her evident distrust of him
wasn't something she cared to hide. "What are you?" she demanded.
	He shrugged, looking up to the heavens. "I'm just a man with no
name. Nothing more and nothing less...for the time being."
	A laugh escaped his lips.
	A laugh that sent Setsuna's hair standing on edge. The time
guardress could sense something about him that echoed of a power that held
the potential to rival her own. And yet it was unfocused, uncertain of
what it was. A magik that remained a mystery even to itself.
	Hands were stretched out, sparks exploding from his palms. A
shimmering radiance filled the secluded courtyard--yet the light came not
as much from his hands as it came from Haruka and Michiru. The two Outer
Senshi stepped back on their own, caught up in their own private worlds of
surprise and confusion as something began to emerge from their bodies.
Silhouettes of fierce white light faded away quickly, and they held out
their hands to grasp what had become revealed.
	Haruka now held a sword.
	Michiru, a mirror.
	This Man With No Name had invoked their Talismans into being.
	"Answer me my name," he stated. "And I will give you the world."
	Haruka and Michiru were still staring at their Talismans, their
minds not ready to give him an answer. And so Setsuna, who almost felt as
if she had been expecting this, answered for them. "You don't have a
name," she said. "You said so yourself."
	The Man With No Name smiled at that. "And that is why I am not meant
for you. You are here as companions to my unknown mission; that much I
know."
	The tall, sandy-blonde gripped the hilt of her sword, unsheathing
the blade. Purifying white light flooded out from the exposed weapon, and
she quickly slid the sheath back over it. Michiru in turn was studying the
mirror, looking first at the reflection held within the glass surface, and
then to the crest of Neptune engraved on the back.
	"I admit my own surprise," the Man With No Name said. "Those are not
the weaponry I was expecting the Outer Senshi to possess. Not against
someone like the Dark Messiah."
	"You hardly seem equipped yourself," Haruka retorted.
	The Man With No Name stifled a laugh, cast another glance out to the
flickering lights of the celebration beyond them. "If I have learned one
thing since my birth, Sailor Uranus, it is that I am a weapon. There may
be more to my existence, but for now that remains unknown."
	He abruptly froze, and Setsuna could have sworn she saw his eyes
narrow from behind those tinted, coin-sized lenses. The folds of his
overcoat noiselessly ruffled as he turned his head, something in the
nightly winds catching his full attention. He didn't seem to like what he
had noticed.
	"Ladies," he said, his demeanor suddenly more solemn than ever
before. "Do yourselves a favour."
	"What?" the tall sandy-blonde asked.
	The Man With No Name growled, crouching low to the ground. "Run."
	He sprang from the ground, cutting through the air to land upon the
mansion's rooftop. The three Outer Senshi were a few seconds behind him,
none willing to let him simply disappear into the night as sudden as he
had first appeared.
	And so all four bore witness to a pillar of dark magik that exploded
from the heart of Hakkeda's cityscape, turning night sky into black storm.
Violet lightening crackled and streaked across a now starless heaven,
tearing apart buildings in their rampage.
	Even from where they stood, they could see the debris scattering in
all directions as buildings were torn apart.
	Setsuna's eyes widened as she saw within her mind a female's
silhouette amidst the furious magik that was tearing apart Hakkeda.
"Hotaru," she whispered, chilled to again think this was once her
daughter.
	"She's here," the Man With No Name said quietly. "The Dark Messiah
has arrived."
	"And what are you going to do about that?" Michiru asked.
	He grinned, removing his shades. Taking a strange pleasure in seeing
their reaction to the clouds of his eyes dissipating, to reveal the black
essence of his magik. "Give you a headstart," he answered.
	"I'm not about to run from her," Haruka said, defiant before the Man
With No Name. "It is our duty as Outer Senshi to protect our worlds from
evil like her." She paused, looking over to her Neptuni lover. "And while
I may not like it, I'm not going to run from it."
	Michiru gave the tall, sandy-blonde a gentle smile.
	"You're no match for her," the Man With No Name stated, turning to
the Outer Senshi. "The Messiah of Silence holds more power than the three
of you combined. You should leave this place and continue on your journey.
I'll catch up."
	He stepped forward, prepared to leave them.
	"And you're blind," Setsuna countered, lowering her time staff in
front of him. "You may see the world in magik like we see it in colours,
but I don't think that gives you reason to believe you can win against
her."
	The Man With No Name glanced down at her staff, and then slipped his
hand beneath the key-shaped staff. Unhurried, he lifted it out of his way
and resumed walking towards the heart of the storm. "I merely wish to
discuss something of a private nature with this Messiah of Silence," he
said, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Do me the courtesy of leaving
quickly; it would serve you well to ensure you are out of range when she
levels this city."
	He reached the end of the rooftop and then became a darkened blur
soaring through the skies. The Outer Senshi remained rooted where they
stood for only a few moments; a shared glance between the three of them
was all they required.
	A heartbeat later, they gave chase.


	Mistress 9 was enjoying herself.
	Though not as much as she wanted.
	Silence had been shattered with screams, choruses of cries and
shrieks punctuating the frightened mob that fled in any direction they
could. The city square had now become a lifeless crater of scorched earth.
Whatever romantic couples had been there to experience her first strike
could bear witness no more. The surrounding area was now paying the price
for her presence.
	Revelers became entangled in their hysteria, crashing through
whatever wasn't a solid wall. Tables were overturned, stages were stormed,
taverns and restaurants became the sites of stampedes. No one wished to
get near the Dark Messiah as she leisurely walked down the cobblestone
streets.
	A swipe with her glaive cut the air in half.
	The tear continued its onslaught, ramming itself in a set of
buildings, pulverizing them completely. The walls were cracked down the
centre, crumbling and imploding as the screaming lives inside were
abruptly silenced.
	Mistress 9 turned a corner, finding yet another street where a
celebration had become a frenzied evacuation. Many had already disappeared
down alleys or were cowering in the nearby buildings. The last of the
terrified jubilants cleared the street.
	And then suddenly there was one standing in her path.
	One who wasn't afraid.
	Hands in his coat pockets, dressed in black save for a white cross
that ran its course along one of his sleeves, was a man whose name she did
not know. His dark hair fluttered in the night winds, his head tipped
towards the ground as if the formation of the cobblestones was of great
interest to him.
	Abruptly he lifted his head.
	Stared directly at her.
	"I know you," he remarked, curious confusion blended with the
vaguest of recognitions. The Man With No Name abruptly tilted himself
sideways, neatly avoiding a vicious thrust from the glaive's sharpened
edge.
	"And how would you know me?" Mistress 9 inquired savagely, pulling
the glaive back towards herself.
	His unexpected agility had raised her guard, and she liked it. The
taste of Cait Sith's blood still lingered even now upon her lips; she
hoped this one would taste just as delicious. Perhaps even put up more of
a fight that Uranian soldier.
	"I possess no memories that would give me reason to believe we have
met before," he answered.
	His eyes were unlike any other she had seen.
	Eyes that moved like magik.
	Purest magik.
	She wanted to take his eyes, take his power for herself. The Dark
Messiah decided to behead him, destroying the body but sparing the eyes.
	"However," the Man With No Name added. "I cannot deny that your face
is somehow one I recognize."
	She jabbed at him a second time, and he leapt into the air, vaulting
over her head to land behind her. They turned again to face each other.
Her violet eyes started to glow, the magik of the Dark Messiah venting
itself in an aura that flooded her entire body.
	Long raven-dark hair flowed around her as the loose gown on her body
rippled like waves of black water. Without using the Silence Glaive she
unleashed a concentrated burst of her magik. This time the Man With No
Name would die.
	Give her his eyes.
	His magik.
	The Man With No Name tilted his head to one side, already
anticipating the attack. The magik grazed his hair and shoulder, yet still
missed him. It slammed into a tavern behind him, soaring through the front
doors and then exploding with enough force to send the tavern crashing
down upon itself.
	The Man With No Name never glanced back as the gust of wind from the
implosion pressed his redingote taut against his back. Eyes of the storm
closed momentarily as he spoke to Mistress 9. "I am not meant for you," he
whispered quietly. "While you can lay claim to me, I'd rather you didn't."
	He was refusing her.
	Refusing to give in, to fear her.
	Mistress 9 gave an enraged shout, trying once more to impale him
upon her weapon. Yet once more the Man With No Name skillfully dodged,
hands never leaving the pockets of his long redingote.
	"Good day to you, Mistress Nine," he stated evenly. "While I dislike
the notion, I know we shall be seeing each other again soon enough."
	"You're not leaving," she countered, jamming the base of the glaive
into the soft, burned ground.
	One of his eyebrows was raised. "Really?"
	"You're no mere human," the Messiah of Silence stated, leaning
against her glaive. Naked fingers ran along the edge of her weapon, skin
savouring the feel of the naked blade. "You will give me something to
enjoy tonight."
	Her tongue ran along her lips.
	"Ever since Aurora, I haven't found an equal. This petty destruction
means nothing to me. I want someone who doesn't fear me. I want to
personally give them a reason to fear me."
	Something shifted amidst the pulsating entity within his eyes.
	The storm churned and grew.
	"Ara," the Man With No Name said, his voice suddenly turning cold.
"So taking life leaves you that bored?"
	Winds surged and swept past him, the folds of his coat wildly
flapping behind his body as he opened a hand and held out his palm between
them. Necromagik crackled from his skin, a demon summoned from the
manifesting darkness. It had a name he had already called upon, invoked to
clear the playing field.
	A wicked smile, born of an evil that perhaps matched her own, carved
itself upon his face.
	"Then let me remedy your boredom," he said.
	Flames as black as the midnight realms exploded from his palm, a
rampant inferno spiraling towards the heavens before forging itself into
twin demon wings. Its essence out moments later, like entrails. Enormous
legs emerged as four albino eyes opened up, and the Jabberwocky made
itself known to the world once more. Spit flew from its jaws as it
bellowed, the demon's gaze fixating upon her.
	"I must thank you," the Man With No Name said to her. "I've never
known hatred before. It's quite a rush." Eyes of the raging tempests
turned upwards to the dragonwyrm. "Kill her."
	The Jabberwocky was more than happy to oblige its master, becoming a
thrashing mass of coils and fangs and claws. The glistening and blackened
form of the demon lunged, falling up the Dark Messiah. And Mistress 9 did
nothing to flee or brace herself for the impact. Violet eyes closed, and
the blade of the Silence Glaive began to glow as she invoked the deadly
power that was hers alone to control.
	"Silence Glaive Surprise!"
	The world went dead.
	And then turned itself inside out.
	In the last moments of its infernal life, the Jabberwocky realized
there were others in this world that were powerful enough to end its life.
This lesson had come one battle too late. Black mass writhed as its skin
bubbled and expanded before bursting forth. Incineration came a heartbeat
later, and the Jabberwocky let out a startled screech moments before it
was torn apart.
	The Man With No Name saw it all.
	"My friend," he whispered. A solitary tear fell down his face,
rolled down his cheek before it evaporated from the intense blast of
Mistress 9's approaching magik. The shockwave overtook him, but he didn't
seem to care.
	It was the first time he had ever felt loss.
	And now for the first time he would discover pain.


	From where she was in the labyrinth of Hakkeda's buildings, Haruka
turned to watch the blast turn night into clearest daylight.
	Everything became dead silent.
	And then exploded, buildings shattering into powder, debris and
gales flooding past them in a furious maelstrom of magik. The Outer Senshi
shielded their eyes from the intense light and the shockwave that tore
past them, causing the cobblestone roads to ripple like a carpet being
pulled.
	"What the hell is this?!" the tall sandy-blonde exclaimed.
	"The Dark Messiah's power," Setsuna answered, practically having to
shout over the howls of the wind.
	Suddenly a projectile shot through the streets, a trail of dust
erupting from whatever part of it was being dragged on the ground. It
struck the corner of a building; the object's course was not changed...but
the corner of the building was pulverized without hesitation.
	And then the Man With No Name crashed into a wall, the stone
cracking on impact. His eyes opened, and with a wince he spoke a single
word:
	"Ow."
	The blast faded quickly, leaving the dark of night and the glow of a
smouldering crater. Mistress 9 moved on in another direction, suddenly in
a foul mood over her encounter with him.
	Her game with Hakkeda had ended.
	And so now would the city.
	For the moment, the Outer Senshi were more concerned with the
unknown stranger now imbedded in the stone. "Looks like she was a lot more
than you could handle," Haruka dryly remarked. She didn't offer him any
help, and by all indications he didn't require any.
	"That merely proves my point," the Man With No Name answered, trying
to right his balance as he stood moments after pulling himself from the
wall. His body swayed with uncertainty. "She is not the one deserving of
what I have to offer."
	"What do you have to offer?" Michiru pressed. She felt half-tempted
to try her newfound mirror to probe his mysteries; somehow she doubted she
would find anything.
	Secrets remained that way because they wanted to.
	Because they went through great lengths to remain so.
	The Man With No Name shook his head. "I do not know. I've killed
before, taken life because I was indifferent to it."
	The shades were drawn out from the folds of his redingote, placed
over his eyes. He briefly dusted himself off; Setsuna found it incredible
that after taking the full brunt of such an attack, he was almost
completely unscathed.
	"She killed someone I never knew I cared about," he said, looking at
where the Silence Glaive Surprise had reduced yet another part of the city
to ash and rubble. A malevolent smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"Now I understand pain...and I know what it means to thirst for taking a
life."
	Haruka glanced at Michiru and Setsuna; her expression was one of
skepticism, distrust and uncertainty about this man who had declared
himself to be their travelling companion.
	Hakkeda's foundations shuddered once more as it took another
relentless beating at the hands and magik of the Dark Messiah. Once her
anger had been satiated, Mistress 9 would annihilate everything around her.
	Setsuna turned to the others. "We should go."
	Michiru nodded. "This town is already dead; there's nothing we can
do to change that."
	Timeless magenta eyes narrowed as those words were spoken. Aurora
was relived all over again, and silently Setsuna swore to avenge the place
she had called home for sixteen years. But could she bring herself to
destroy her own daughter, even after having stood back and let the Dark
Messiah destroy a planet?
	She knew this answer would never have a resolution.
	And so the three Outer Senshi, and the Man With No Name, made their
way out from Hakkeda. As they walked, solemnly, silently, one final burst
of blak magik was lifted up to the skies, dashing to shards permanently
the eternal party that had once been Hakkeda.


	Serenity stifled a giggle as she tried once again to walk across the
clearing, and nearly stumbled. Who would have thought walking in these
Elven dresses would be like walking on the top of a fence, she wondered in
bemusement as she nearly fell down again.
	Barefoot she moved, hopping up and up along a series of entangled
roots. The slender, crimson ribbon wrapped around her foot, a petit bow
tied just above her heel, never came loose, never became dirty.
	Her gown had sleeves shortened to her elbows, and the lower folds
ending at her knees. Yet there were multiple hidden layers and folds to
this garment; it was surprisingly easy to confuse where and what edge had
to be tucked in or left loose. A fabric of purest white, contrasting with
the scarlet sash that followed the curve of her right shoulder, trailing
over her breasts and then wrapping around her waist. Another small bow was
made in back at her waistline, securing the sash in place.
	Cascades of what she had first thought to be ruffles turned out to
be ripples of the natural cloth. It was willing itself to appear the way
it did; she could straighten it out when she removed it before sleeping,
yet when she put on the sash and secured it to her attire, the cloth
rippled beautifully again.
	Kakkyou had explained when she first tried it on that those two
colours were always worn by she who would become the queen of Elfhame. He
never explained the symbolism, or why the ribbon was wrapped around her
left foot, and she never pressed the matter.
	She was content to simply dance through the forest, wearing his
gift. As the Elven Queen-to-be, she slept in a private chamber hollowed
out from one of the grandest trees Arana's isles had to offer. Soon
enough, she would share a bed with Kakkyou. Serenity's face went slightly
flushed at that thought, and the other ones that followed.
	These garments had awaited her when she awoke. The clothing had been
folded and laid out alongside her bed, with a small pendant that was now
hanging from her neck, tucked beneath the folds of the garments. As far as
she could tell, it was a blue and opaque crystal, possibly crafted from a
Lapis Lazuli gemstone. Shaped like a raindrop, when her skin gently
brushed along its smooth surface, an image of Kakkyou had appeared.
	The pendant would only respond to her touch.
	Distorted at first like a pool's surface being disturbed.
	But then all became clear, and she could see Elven eyes of creamy
jade looking at her with fond affection. In behind Kakkyou's mane of
silver hair she could see some of Arana's majestic trees.
	With one fluid, graceful motion, Serenity leapt from the edge of the
roots, floating across the open space between the trees. Already she was
starting to sense--and harness for herself--the Elven magik of running
with the winds.
	The folds and edges of her gown fluttered around her body as she let
herself descend, feet lightly falling on the cool grasses. Everything was
almost sensual to the touch; her body had grown acutely sensitive to the
magik that permeated every breath of air she took.
	Even the material used to make her dress had a foreign yet wondrous
texture to it. Serenity admitted she couldn't tell if it was silk or
velvet, or something else. Yet it felt perfect to wear.
	At least Kakkyou had given her this.
	In the days she had already spent in Elfhame, one thing she had
slowly grown accustomed to was the dress of the Elven race. Their designs
were rather...unique. Some were rather absurd. Then again, the Elven lived
in the heart of a deep forest where magik still thrived. To consider this
made the idea of an Elven gown fashioned to resemble a butterfly a very
appropriate if not beautiful one.
	This gown, and the sash she wore as well, neither slipped off one or
the other shoulder, or gape at "ungapeable" places. It didn't entangle her
legs either, allowing her the grace of moving through the forest realm
like any other Elven would.
	And abruptly Kakkyou was there with her.
	He was perched upon one of the higher branches, looking down at her
from above. One leg was tucked near his chest, letting his arm rest
absently on the knee. His other leg dangled over the side, swaying without
reason or desire.
	Serenity froze, acutely aware of everything around her in that
moment. "What is it?" she asked, suddenly unsure of herself.
	Had she worn her gown the wrong way? Was someone disliking the way
she laughed and leisurely danced with the winds?
	Kakkyou chuckled as he shook his head. "Nothing," he said. He leaned
over backwards, plummeting off the tree branch. With seeming ease, he
twisted his body and righted his descent, landing perfectly. Just a few
steps in front of her.
	A hand moved through his long silver hair, tousling it up. "Watching
you there, I could have sworn you were a faery." He moved closer, the
anticipation in his lips seen by her eyes. "And I could have watched you
dance in the air for a lifetime, and not grown tired of it."
	He kissed her lightly.
	Embraced her with just as much a caress, arms wrapping around her
back and pulling her close. She smelled like jasmine, like the ocean air,
like so many other things that calmed his soul when he found himself
dwelling in darkness. Kakkyou ran his fingers through her long, golden
hair.
	"So what do you think of Elfhame?" he asked.
	He had waited days to ask this question, giving her the chance to
adjust to the forest isles of Arana. Tense and reluctant to finally ask,
lest GlenHawke became a fonder memory to her than he was.
	Crystal blue eyes searched the lush foliage of the forest, the tall
trees supporting the emerald canopy over their heads. She could hear the
numerous sounds of birds and insects and animals, smell the fresh and damp
air. The magik of giggling faeries and nymphs called out to her, sensed
just as clearly as the dominant Elven magik.
	Serenity smiled as she leaned her head against his chest, felt the
beating of his heart and the warmth of his body.
	"I'm home," she whispered.


	"Damn," Galahad muttered, studying one of the many screens that were
displayed within Camelot's immense war room.
	The readouts were clear enough: transmissions had ceased completely,
and the only traces left of what had once been Tenmile were a few solitary
heat signatures from smouldering fires.
	Another city destroyed.
	Another to fall prey to the army of Shadows.
	"That brings the toll up to three cities," Arthur stated grimly.
	True to his word, after clearing up the confusion of Aurora's
destruction and organizing those of his delegation left behind on Neptune,
Arthur had returned to Earth. Camelot was no longer idyllic. The Knights
of the Round Table had all been called back to the capital city, and every
last agent of their spy network was reporting to them at hourly intervals.
	The Pendragon had arrived moments after Hakkeda's destruction was
reported. A new wave of confusion and hysteria was his to cope with--yet
he did it well. The resolve found in the wake of Aurora's annihilation had
resurrected the long-forgotten soldier within, pushing away the weary old
diplomat king.
	He, along with everyone else in the chamber, had barely slept in the
past few days. Those present had been fully briefed on the nature of
Aurora's destruction; the Dark Messiah was now leading Morgana's armies.
	War was inevitable at this point.
	Yet for now, all they could do was monitor the attacks of the Shadow
armies, and use this time to brace themselves for the first official
confrontation.
	Arthur turned to one of his Knight Commanders. "Deploy half a dozen
rescue teams to the area. If possible, send out those closest."
	His fingers swept across the hovering screen before him, tapping on
one dot amidst the map of the now-devastated region. The image was
magnified, giving the region's name.
	Lyoness.
	"Contact our evacuation forces there; if they can spare the soldiers
and the healers, I want them helping the survivors."
	The Knight nodded, and raced over to one of the vacant consoles. If
past trends remained the way they were, then the chances of finding any
survivors were few and far between; the Messiah of Silence first wiped her
chosen city out of existence, letting Morgana's armies slaughter anyone
who managed to escape the hellish explosion of dark magik.
	"Looks like another sleepless night," Lancelot said, though not
exactly impressed with this fact.
	Galahad groaned, leaning back to stretch his neck. "I'll have
someone send up some food and tea."
	"You might want to wait on that," Merlin spoke up.
	Arthur turned his head, removing his lenses momentarily to rub the
bridge of his nose. "I'm rather hesitant to ask."
	Merlin brought up one of the landscape maps as the other Knights
gathered around him. "Three cities have been leveled by Morgana's forces,
who are now being led by the Dark Messiah." He adjusted the picture's
focus, outlining the devastated cities and the directions between them.
"Take a close look at the path of destruction," the Ancient instructed.
	The Knight Commanders grew silent.
	Even Arthur stiffened.
	"It's a route," he whispered, his throat going dry. "They're carving
a path of death to us."
	She wasn't wasting any time with the outer borders of his kingdom,
slowly suffocating from the outside. Morgana was coming straight for
Camelot. And making sure he knew it beyond any doubts.
	"She's taking her time, at the very least," another Knight said,
trying to sound optimistic. "We have one to two day intervals of
inactivity between each attack."
	"Morgana just wants to make sure word gets out she did it," Merlin
stated coldly, his tone evidencing his dislike for such a tactic. "She's
feeding on the fear, trying to make us afraid of her."
	Lancelot leaned closer to the holomap, studying any patterns that
could be found. "Judging from the route the Shadows appear to be taking,
they'll destroy another two cities before reaching Camelot. We've got
perhaps four, maybe five days at best--that's only if she doesn't change
her pattern."
	"She won't," Arthur said grimly. "She's deliberately giving us time
to amass any resistance against her." He scowled. "It'll make for a more
impressive defeat; if her victory over Camelot is a spectacular one, the
other planets will hesitate in retaliating."
	"That just might buy her enough time to overtake the entire Solis
system!" one of the Knights exclaimed.
	"Kuso," Merlin swore through his teeth. With the Dark Messiah
leading her armies, such a lackadaisical approach to war was one Morgana
could get away with having.
	Arthur turned his head, looking directly at Galahad. "Send the
message to every last castle and province allied with us. I want their
soldiers assembled here as soon as possible. And alert the cities that the
Shadow army plan on attacking; I'd prefer them to be deserted when the end
comes."
	The momentary quiet in the room was again shattered as holoscreens
were consulted, communications were made, and everyone scrambled to
somehow find an opening to beat Morgana's relentless onslaught.
	Arthur closed his copper eyes, fighting back both the urge to sleep
and the incoherence he could feel creeping in from being awake for so
long.
	"You should rest, Milord," Lancelot said. "You've been awake more
than any of us."
	Arthur was ready to object, but then his fading mind got the better
of him. The fact that he wasn't a machine was a hard one to accept in
these times, and reluctantly the fatigued Pendragon nodded. "If something
comes up--"
	"I won't hesitate to wake you," Lancelot finished. "Go on, and get
some rest. I'll look after things here, and make sure the Knights get some
time to rest as well."
	Grateful, Arthur moved towards the doorway.
	And then stopped as he saw Merlin's face.
	"What is it?" he asked.
	Merlin never looked away from the screen before him, his aged eyes
studying the route being taken by Morgana's armies. "One thing troubles
me," the mage answered. "This woman, the Dark Messiah; she has enough
power to shatter planets. Why is she wasting her time demolishing a few
small cities?"
	When Arthur moved to confer with the Ancient, Lancelot didn't
interject. He knew their king well enough--and he also understood what
Merlin was implying.
	"You think she has a hidden agenda?" Arthur asked.
	Merlin's eyes narrowed.
	He knew more about the Dark Messiah's origins than anyone else in
the room--and he also knew about the techniques her originator frequently
employed.
	"I can guarantee it, Milord."
	If Mistress 9 was created independent of Morgana's twisted desires,
there was no need to doubt an ulterior motive being involved. The only
problem left was deciphering what that motive was.
	And Merlin knew of only person who could answer that.
	The Raithe....


	Far from the prying eyes of Morgana, from the magik the woman
assumed to have in secretly watching the Dark Messiah, Mistress 9
continued her work. Hours had built up into another day of solitude here
in the darkness.
	In her own private sanctuary of silence.
	It seemed a foolish tactic to let her enemies build up their
defenses. Yet it suited her own purposes rather well. She wished to find
another worthy of dying at her hands. These humans were not exactly the
finest of specimens...but they made excellent containers for daemon eggs.
Others like her would soon follow, once she opened the portal.
	The blade of the Silence Glaive shimmered with an indigo light,
feeding and fuelling the magik that was forging something into being.
	A StarChamber.
	Rustic if not primitive to her tastes, yet it would easily work to
complete her task. The amount of energy required to open a stable wormhole
capable of bringing her master over was enormous. For now, she would let
her excess magik feed the StarChamber. There was always enough left for
her to wipe out an insignificant city.
	Those tasks set out for her by Morgana were rather pitiful in
comparison to this. Mistress 9 smiled wickedly to herself; once she had
secured the gateway, she would deny Morgana the chance to become a
container. Human bodies were such fragile things.
	Let that arrogant woman play with her puppet armies.
	Pharaoh 90 was her true master.
	And she would bring him into the Solis System.


	"Serenity?"
	She never heard him say her name, crystal blue eyes looking
distantly to something that laid beyond the comforting trees of the
forest. Winds of change were blowing, whispering her name and calling out
to the magik within. Those voices were almost inaudible, yet captivated
her full attention.
	Kakkyou called to her again. "Serenity?"
	She heard him this time.
	It was easy to read the concern in his expression. He stopped
walking, trying to appraise that distant glimmer still in her eyes. Yet he
still kept holding her hand to reassure her. To reassure them both. "Are
you alright? You look...preoccupied."
	Serenity looked away from his gaze, back out to the forest world
around them. "I don't know," she said quietly. "I can feel something out
there, out beyond the boundaries of Elfhame."
	"If it's any consolation, it's not just you." Kakkyou seemed to hold
her hand tighter now. "We've all felt it. There are foreign magiks
appearing on Earth. No one knows what they mean, except that a change is
coming."
	A small group of Elven ladies walked past them, the girls giggling
and throwing knowing glances to Kakkyou. The sultry expressions and
pouting lips were more than enough to get Serenity embarrassed, and
Kakkyou waving to them with acrid smile on his face.
	"I think I'm giving them too much freedom in gossiping about us," he
remarked, still politely waving.
	One of the Elven ladies spoke in their native tongue, evidently
addressing Kakkyou.
	"Yes, thank you," he replied, a half-unamused, half-wry grin on his
face. "I'm...sure that technique will come in handy...Hey! That's uncalled
for...No, I haven't. And neither will you, for that matter."
	The Elven ladies laughed and then disappeared amidst another cluster
of trees. Left alone to try and repair whatever damage had been done,
Kakkyou returned his attention to Serenity.
	"I'm sorry about that," he sighed, massing one of his temples. "They
can be rather amorous at times. Just do me a favour, and not ask what they
said to me."
	Serenity couldn't help but smile a little. "Oh, I think I got the
basic idea."
	The look on Kakkyou's face was priceless.
	It was her request that they consummate their love after the wedding
ceremony. And Kakkyou swore to respect her wishes. Regardless, that didn't
mean they were numb to the tension between them.
	"Well, if that didn't kill the mood," the Elven lord said finally,
giving her a playful wink. "I don't know what will."
	He took her hand and they continued to walk through the forest.


	Ocean blue eyes studied the readouts before him, and they were not
exactly relating good news. Magellan looked away from the scrolling data.
Destruction losses, property damage, death tolls; it was a stomach-
churning report to have to read.
	Especially on such a cloudless day as this.
	He was in no mood to be fixated on such a thing while the sun shone
down upon him, while the world of Vlatmere seemed to be at such serene
peace. All around him, the rose garden his father had so tenderly cared
for was flourishing and drinking up the sunlight like falling rain. And
yet this ethereal beauty wasn't lifting his spirits as it usually did,
when his mood became heavy and brooding.
	Tenmile was attacked not two hours ago.
	That made it the third city to be destroyed by the Shadows. They
were just lucky that Vlatmere was a fair distance from both Camelot and
this fiery path being carved by Morgana's armies. Even still, if Camelot
fell then it was just a matter of time before the war came to the front
walls of Vlatmere castle.
	Everything seemed to be falling apart around them.
	And while he trusted in Arthur, Magellan found himself in doubts of
just how the end of this would turn out. So many had died already, and the
killing was far from being over. But so long as it was in his power, he
would protect his people and his province. And his Sailor Senshi.
	"Magellan?" Myung asked. She sat across the table from him, holding
her teacup in her hands yet drinking none of the tea. Her blue eyes had
been watching him quietly question the future, their future.
	The Earthian prince could hear the concern in her voice, and gave a
reassuring though weary smile. "I keep going over it in my head," he said,
almost more to the air than to her directly. "I think back to the events
of the past week, wondering if there was anything I could have done to
help prevent this from happening."
	They were seated on a small patio table in the rose garden, and all
around them bloomed the quiet beauty that made Magellan remember why he
had always pressed on in life. Even after his father's death, this always
served as a private sanctuary.
	A small touchpad was laid out between their cups of tea, the
fatalities from the Shadow armies still scrolling along. Remaining
oblivious as to who may be reading or ignoring them. Facts were facts,
whether or not they were accepted.
	"You can't blame yourself," Myung told him. "Magellan, you've done
so much already in keeping your subjects in control of their fears. Where
mass hysteria has torn other cities apart, Vlatmere remains as stable as
ever--and they have you to thank for that."
	Magellan winced as he massaged one of his shoulders. The tension
over the past few days was starting to take effect; his muscles were
knotting up and giving him more discomfort than preferable.
	"I can only use rumour control for so long," he said. "I'm still
racking my mind, trying to think about the next step when that control
breaks down." His eyes looked to her with concern and severity. "I'm not
about to lose Vlatmere to mass riots and martial law, Myung. It's not what
my father would have wanted, and it's not what I want."
	Myung flashed him that trademark, disarming smile of hers. It was
incredible to think that she could wield her smiles like some wielded
magik. And yet whenever her face lit up with that childlike wonder and
laughter, it was more possessive than any spell he knew to exist.
	For one brief shining moment, he forgot about the impending danger.
And for that, he was eternally grateful to his Senshi of Love. One of his
hands clenched into a ball, muscles flexing as he tried to psyche himself
up...only to fail at the last moment, and allow his hand to relax once
more.
	Magellan winced as he tried in vain to locate a cramped muscle that
was annoying him far more than he wished it to at the moment.
	"Here," Myung said, setting her teacup down on the table as she rose
from her chair. "Let me help you."
	He didn't object when she stood behind him and asked for him to
remove his jacket. Magellan undid the buttons on his uniform and slid out
his sleeves. All that remained beneath the royal vestige now was a thin,
black undershirt. Myung began to massage the base of his neck, kneading
out the stiff muscles that were currently giving him problems. Magellan's
eyes widened in unexpected delight at how thorough and effective she was;
he was practically melting under her touch, every nerve willingly dropping
its protest to let her fingers dance and squeeze his skin.
	"Mmmmm," he sighed.
	That caused Myung to laugh. "I take it you're enjoying my therapy?"
	Magellan nodded. "I need to hire you on a full-time basis. This, I
could easily live with."
	"Tease," Myung said, pausing from her massage to bend over the
prince. Tresses of her blonde hair acted as veil which hid their faces
from the sunlight and roses. She lightly kissed his forehead, and would
have lingered there (if not moved to his lips) had loud footsteps not
broken the enjoyable silence of the garden.
	"Hey, Magellan!" Frederic called out. "We've got a message from--"
He stopped as he rounded the pathway and saw the two in their romantic
interlude. "Oh, you're busy. Should I come back later, and let you
two...?"
	His voice trailed off, leaving much to the imagination.
	On the other hand, Magellan knew exactly how Frederic thought. The
Earthian prince reluctantly tore his gaze from Myung, directing his
attention to his friend. "What is it?"
	Frederic waved a datapad in the air. "We've got a message from
Camelot, top priority," he said. "All rulers loyal to Arthur are to
assemble in Camelot as soon as possible, complete with troops."
	Suddenly Myung's attention was focused upon Frederic too. "How many
does Arthur want?" she asked.
	Frederic shrugged. "All of them, apparently. Sounds like we're
mobilizing for a showdown."
	Magellan scowled, setting an elbow on the table and letting his chin
be propped up by his hand. The action gave him an incredibly pensive
appearance. "Damn," he said quietly.
	The very thing he had been dreading for days had finally come to
pass. Now there could be escaping what the future had in store for them.
But at least now there would be no time for regrets or doubts; if ever
Vlatmere needed a clear-headed ruler, it was now.
	Myung moved out from behind him, opting to stand instead of remain
seated at her chair. She and Frederic gave Magellan a few moments of
silent intimation. Then when he spoke, he addressed them both as one.
	Trusted confidants and valued friends.
	"As much as I want to help Camelot, I'm not about to leave Vlatmere
open to a surprise attack," he stated. "We'll keep all shifts of the
palace guards here, accompanied by three squads of soldiers. Everyone else
will go with us to Camelot."
	"All six battle skimmer prototypes are fully mobile now," Frederic
added. "It may take them about half a day longer, but we can hold almost
all the heavy machinery in them." He paused, consulting the datapad. "I
haven't notified Camelot that our skimmers are operational; I figured you
might want some of them to remain here."
	Magellan nodded. "Good foresight. What about aerial transports?"
	"We can maybe transport a quarter of our forces over to Camelot in
one shot," Frederic answered. "Might I remind you though that we only have
one warcraft, and that's the Warhammer. Everything else that flies in and
out of Vlatmere ports are outbound merchantships."
	Flight time would take about two hours--but that wasn't counting
loading and unloading time. Each of those could take up to two to three
hours as well. If they worked around the clock, at best they could have
the core of Vlatmere's forces in Camelot within a day or so.
	Not unless the merchants allowed their crafts to become temporary
military transports.
	"Ask the merchants politely if they'd aid our cause," Myung said to
Frederic. "If they understand the severity of the matter, they should
help."
	"I don't exactly want a panic on my hands," Magellan countered.
	Myung's eyes cast their gaze to the roses, to the beautiful flowers
oblivious to the tensions of their homeworld. "They already know the war
is approaching, and are afraid. This will give them something to do, to
take their minds off it."
	Magellan nodded his approval to Frederic. "Do it. I also want the
battle skimmers mobilized," he added. "Leave two here, along with their
operating crews; I want one artillery type, the other a troop transport.
The other four can make their way to Camelot and rendezvous with us
there."
	Frederic bowed slightly. "Anything else?"
	"I think we've covered the basics," Magellan said. "Anything else
will be handled as it comes up." He rose from his chair, walking around
the patio table to Frederic. "Commander."
	Frederic stiffened slightly at the sudden formality he was being
addressed by.
	"Once we get the first transport organized, I want you on it,"
Magellan continued. "You'll need to co-ordinate with the military
officials at Camelot, and establish a base camp or wherever our troops
will be staying."
	Ocean blue eyes turned to Myung.
	"Myung and I will remain here to supervise the prep details of the
other aerial transports, as well as make the battle skimmer arrangements.
We'll meet you in Camelot when the Warhammer makes its last run from
Vlatmere."
	Frederic saluted his prince. "Sir!"
	"Dismissed," Magellan stated, and Frederic quickly left the garden.
"I guess that military training actually paid off after all," he sighed,
looking a lot more like himself now that they were alone. Myung decided
she preferred this Magellan to the high-ranking one.
	He drew up close to her, pulling out a small indigo box from one of
his uniform's hidden pockets. "I was going to give this to you later," he
said quietly, gently placing the box in her palm. He guided her fingers,
letting them curl around the gift. "However it would appear if I don't do
it now, I'll never get the chance later."
	Her fingers were trembling just as much as his, though she didn't
know why. Myung removed the lid and peered down at the shimmering present
laid carefully inside. A ring forged from purest silver awaited her awed
gaze, and woven into the metal atop the ring was a fragment of a stone she
knew all too well.
	"A Star Sapphire," she said, running a fingertip along the polished
surface of the jewel.
	These were gemstones said to be amulets of love.
	A Star Sapphire reflected six rays of light.
	And six was the number of Venus.
	"It's beautiful," she whispered, unable to raise her voice any
higher. "Thank you, Magellan."
	She couldn't understand why, but Myung found tears running down her
cheeks. Her entire body was shaking, though not from fear or sadness. It
was something else, an emotion she had never fully known or experienced
before. A quickening of the heart. A realized longing of the soul.
	It all came to pass as Magellan placed his hand beneath her chin and
gently lifted her head so that their eyes might once again meet together.
	"It may sound strange coming from a guy you've only known for two or
three weeks now," he said, his own voice hesitant to voice what he wanted
to say to her. "But believe me when I tell you that...I love you, Myung."
	He leaned forward, and she never pulled away from him. Doubts were a
far cry from what was racing through her mind, as he pressed his lips
against hers in a brief yet dedicated kiss. Myung savoured the memory as
seconds stretched out into a delicious eternity that became wrapped in his
embrace.
	Reluctantly Magellan parted from her, taking a step back as he
mentally prepared himself for the next few hectic hours. But for the
moment he was still feeding off the euphoria of being with her, of
smelling her scent and watching her body gracefully move.
	"When this war is over," he said before leaving the rose garden. "I
want to spend my life with you."
	He turned and began walking down the path. There was much to do, and
very little time left. Myung didn't seem to care as the tears continued to
move down her face. "Magellan!" she called out after him.
	He turned, and was unprepared for her as Myung threw herself against
him and wrapped her around his neck. She kissed him passionately, deeply,
ever so much more than the tease he had given to her moments ago.
	She would spend the rest of her life with him.
	As his bride, his lover, and his protector.


	"Where are we?" she had asked.
	And Kakkyou had remained unusually silent in leading her by the hand
to a part of Arana's forest she had never seen before. There were many
parts of Elfhame she had left to discover, but none had looked like this.
	A ring of trees encircled a clearing of damp moss. Serenity found
herself stepping down off a root, and into a pool of dark water that rose
halfway up to her knees. The moss was smooth against her skin, holding
enough substance to be possibly mistaken for ground. She wasn't worried
about the crimson ribbon around her foot; it clung well enough to her body
when she was running between the trees. And the edge of her gown hung just
above her knees.
	Even still, she had to fight back the sudden urge to bathe, to
savour the sweet smell of this water, and the way it would send shivers
down her spine while running along her skin. There was magik alive in this
place, almost as tangible as the radiant moonlight and infusing within her
a euphoria that could barely remain contained.
	Crystal blue eyes looked to the heavens, and saw there were heavens
to be seen. Ever since she had entered the forest kingdom of the Elven,
sunlight came down as trickles and starry beams penetrating the thick
canopy of leaves high overhead. But here the forest was pulled back, the
foliage held at bay by the ring of trees.
	It was night, and the skies were alive in darkness and stars.
Without the glow of the woods to serve as her light, she could see an
infinitude of stars slowly appearing to puncture the celestial shadows.
There were more shimmering lights than she had ever imagined, more than
she could ever hope to count.
	Kakkyou's arms wrapped around her body, his chest pressed into her
back. One arm moved over her breasts, his palm gently gripping her
shoulder. His other slid over her stomach and rested upon her hip. Silver
hair flowed past his face and draped down alongside her cheeks. The Elven
lord's warm, moist breath tickled her ears and neck.
	Crystal blue eyes closed.
	She gasped, her breaths growing erratic. Eager and passionate. In
that moment, with the half-moon as a watchful guard and the magik all
around acting as a sensual electricity, she would have let him do anything
to her.
	Anything.
	Yet Kakkyou only held her, his arms quivering as he did so. "I shall
remain true to my promise," he said quietly, the tension in his voice
reflecting the war he silently waged to go any further, to let his fingers
trace erotic curves down her body. "This place is one of the few on Earth
where the magik is more concentrated than the air we breathe. It harnesses
any emotion, and gives fantasies over to a reality."
	His lips were agonizingly close to her skin, and he stole a
momentary kiss from her neck. His own eyes of dragon green closed and he
fought against Kakkyou once more. Breaths slowed, calmed. His grip
relaxed, and the Elven lord released Serenity from his embrace.
	A deep exhale came from the core of his lungs.
	"There are ten places on this planet with such magik," Kakkyou said,
stepping if not stumbling back through the water. He was reeling slightly,
dizzy from an exertion of body and mind and soul. "Of those, three can be
found in Elfhame woods. This is one of them."
	Serenity turned, still dizzy from his touch, from this intoxicating
magik. There was that tender compassion his eyes always held whenever he
gazed at her, yet now there was a distance within them. His smile was only
half-hearted; he knew there was something that would have to now come
between them, to test them.
	"Wait there," he said to her.
	He began to utter something that sounded like a raspy breath, his
voice muttering a chant Serenity could barely even pick coherent sounds or
syllables from. But something else here in this pool was listening to the
Elven's summons.
	And it answered his incantation.
	Serenity looked away from Kakkyou as the water in the centre of the
pool began to churn and froth, whitened bubbles surging forth as if trying
to reach up and pluck a star from the night skies. The surrounding shimmer
from the forest pulled back, everything falling into darkness as a new
light emerged from the waters.
	It was blue, almost like the deep oceans.
	The radiant illumination filled the clearing, yet going no further
than the ring of trees. Serenity felt a familiar warmth touch her skin and
knew this to be the source of her euphoria, for the reason why every nerve
within her body was alive.
	Polished silver revealed itself.
	Enchantment forged into curving metal and winding spires that framed
an elliptical mirror within its heart. The reflective surface was not
visible, the same shade of silver as the exquisite framework wrapped
around it. Elven runes ran downwards along the mirror's smooth surface.
	Kakkyou abruptly stopped his incantation.
	Dragon green eyes opened.
	And suddenly the Elven runes changed, silver bleeding into scarlet.
A flash of crimson light overtook the clearing, and Serenity was forced to
shield her eyes from it. A heartbeat later the forest grew dark once more,
echoes of oceanic blue rippling within the water. Everything within the
ring of trees caught the tidal reflection, capturing the tint of this
magik.
	Serenity hesitantly approached the object that had risen out from
the heart of the pool. The once silver surface was now showing a
reflection of the forest.
	She turned her head as she heard Kakkyou splashing through the
water. He drew up next to her and then led her before the mirror.
	"The mirror is enchanted by an Elven magik," he said, running a hand
down the smooth surface of the glass. The ripples of watery light caused
his silver hair shine blue. "It was created by a great Playking who gave
the mirror as a dark gift; whomever steps before the glass sees in the
reflection their true self."
	A smile appeared on the Elven lord's face.
	"A masterpiece, really. Sent it to some vain and glorious noblewoman
across the seas. For what I heard, it took three guards to restrain her
from all the thrashing and screaming she was doing. Evidently she didn't
like what the mirror had to show."
	Serenity looked into the mirror, and saw herself.
	Only herself.
	"You have no reflection," she said quietly.
	"Indeed," Kakkyou agreed. "Not a single one of the Elven race
appears in this mirror. It is a grim reminder that to the rest of the
world, we are a forgotten lore. Thus we become ghosts. In the eyes of the
glass reflection, the Elven do not exist."
	She continued to look at the girl with the long, golden blonde hair
trapped on the other side of the glass. Abruptly her reflection moved of
its own will, Serenity-within-the-mirror smiling prettily and then blowing
her a kiss.
	Serenity blinked, and the reflection was as it should be.
	She couldn't understand what had just happened.
	It made her wary, seeking Kakkyou's reassuring warmth.
	"I brought you here for a reason, Serenity," he stated, turning to
her. "Something is happening--not just on Earth, but encompassing
everything in this Solis System. I fear that the explosion in the skies
was just the beginning."
	He brought up one of his hands, his palm caressing her cheek.
Serenity found nothing she could say to him; this was too unfamiliar, and
once again she could only follow as he took her hand in his and gently
lead her down an unseen path.
	"There is something else, hidden deep within your heart, Serenity.
And it is starting to awaken. I heard fading whispers of it after that
youma attacked you in GlenHawke. And ever since you came to Elfhame, I've
watched you slowly embrace this power as it grows. You may not realize it
yet, but you are no longer as afraid of your magik. Not the way you once
were."
	"I don't understand," she whispered. Her eyes were trembling,
wanting to understand all that he was telling her.
	And so Kakkyou told her everything.
	About his encounter with the dying old woman, of her arrival at
GlenHawke. She learned of his search to unlock the mystery of her magik,
and of his hunts for the ones who might steal her away and kill her.
	"For a long time I wanted to use this mirror to see your true
magik," he said as he finished his recounting. "But I know the nature of
the glass all too well; you must seek out your own reflection if you wish
the truth revealed."
	"And that is why you have told me all this?"
	He nodded. "I want nothing more than to stand here forever embracing
you, Serenity, but your magik is slowly breaking the chains that have kept
it silent for years. You deserve the truth now. If not for yourself, then
for those who may be depending on your power in the final hours."
	He kissed her once more.
	Gently pressed his lips against hers.
	"The mirror will only reveal its magik to you when you are alone,
and ready," he said quietly, stepping back. "I'll be waiting for you in
the shadows of the forest."
	And then he was gone, faded away amidst the rolling wisps of steam
and vapour that had suddenly overtaken the surface of the moonlit pool.
The water remained placid, the temperature as cool and enticing as before.
There should have been no reason for the mists to have appeared.
	But this was magik.
	And it rarely paid heed to conventional thoughts.
	Serenity looked into the mirror's reflection, touching her hair in
uncertainty as she watched her reflection's movements. A soft breeze blew
through the forest, bringing with it the scent of damp earth, and the
strange smell that spring always possessed. That mixture of new life, rain
and grass all mixed together.
	The blonde girl in the mirror shifted as she did, and seemed as
uncertain as Serenity felt. It seemed hard to believe she was staring at
herself.
	This blonde girl looked so...so different.
	For the first time Serenity noticed a change in herself. Perhaps it
was because of Kakkyou's words, or else the prevailing magik that was
saturating the very air she breathed in this place. Yet it was undeniable
that she could see something new about herself. A strange confidence, a
peace of heart.
	The blonde girl staring back seemed like an angel, a princess.
	And there, standing right behind her, was the Raithe.
	Serenity whirled, a surge of panic racing through her body, crystal
blue eyes wide in surprise and fear. Yet she was alone within the ring of
trees, this sanctuary of Arana's forest. The Ancient dressed in black,
whose eyes shimmered like a thousand stars, was vanished from her sight.
	Hesitantly Serenity looked back to the mirror. And the Raithe was
standing there behind her. This time she turned her head slowly to check,
and again found nothing. The mirror's reflection attested otherwise.
	Crystal blue eyes gazed at the two figures in the mirror.
	"Who are you?" she asked quietly. She knew his face from a dream
that still haunted her, from a nightmare that refused to go away even here
in the solace of Elfhame.
	"I exist only beyond your reflection," the Raithe answered. "Call me
an illusion, a mirage caused by the moonlight filtering through Elfhame's
magik."
	The watery reflection struck his eyes, and she could see the
thousands of captured stars within the pitch darkness of his orbs. A
different breed of magik flowed from him, and while she could only see him
behind the mirror, Serenity could feel him standing behind her, hear his
voice so close to her ears.
	Awaken....
	"You can feel it, can't you?" he said, the reflection in the mirror
turning its head to look at some far-off horizon, something beyond what
she could see. "Something you once could not name was crying out, and now
something deep inside you is echoing that cry."
	Raithe-within-the-mirror leaned forward over Serenity's reflection,
revealing a shakujyo in his grasp. Metallic rings chimed together, and she
heard the sound echo across the pool. Each echo brought with it a shiver
along her skin, as magik once again became tangible.
	Her heart stirred.
	Awaken....
	"What you have is something no other person ever will, save for your
daughter," the Raithe said. "You can sense the pain in others, and heal
it. That is your gift, Serenity; this magik is not something you should
fear, but embrace."
	Her hands reached for the pendant dangling at her breasts, clutching
it tightly as she continued to stare at the Raithe's reflection. "I can
feel your own pain," she said quietly, unable to avoid those eyes of
cosmic midnight. "You hide it with a flawless mask, but it's still there."
	The Raithe looked away. "I know. But I'm of no concern to you,
Serenity. I'm a ghost, a mirage, a mere illusion created by the Elven
magik and the moonlight."
	"It doesn't have to be that way."
	He gave a smile, and suddenly the millennia that had passed before
those starlit eyes seemed to cumulate in the saddened way his lips turned
upwards. "Perhaps you're right. But I've walked my own paths far too long
to change them now. I only wish I had the chance to know you better."
	The Raithe's image started to fade, slipping away as a memory is
lost in forgetfulness. His eyes shone ever still, and were the last to
fade away completely.
	"The time is coming soon for your true form to awaken, Serenity. You
must become a Messiah to this world, or else all hope for the future is
lost. Remember your magik...."
	And then he was gone.
	Serenity was left alone in the circle of trees.
	Moonlight rained down from above.
	And yet for all the warmth of the surrounding lights, she couldn't
keep her body from trembling.
	Awaken....


	Frederic raised a hand in front of his face as the winds pick up
with surprising ferocity. His hair was thrashing in all directions, the
gusts were harsh on his eyes, but all this really didn't matter to him.
	If anything, this disturbance in the late hours of the night was a
welcomed event. He was standing on the edge of a landing platform in
Camelot; the Warhammer was making its final transport from Vlatmere was
landing.
	It was a surreal even to see an oversized metal bird slowly descent
amidst bursts of light and blasts of smoke. The living engine system on
the Warhammer might not have been the best, but it still worked as
flawless as it could given the circumstances.
	Minutes were spent just standing around and waiting for the docking
sequence checks to be completed before the hatches were opened. The first
ones out of the craft were Magellan and Myung.
	Frederic was two steps ahead of the platform crew. "About time!" he
exclaimed, quickening his pace as he moved to intercept with the prince.
"You guys decide to take a scenic route or something?"
	"I know, I know," Magellan sighed. "Unexpected delays midway; we had
to set it down and perform some emergency repairs on one of the cargo
doors."
	Frederic scowled. "Entry port six?
	Magellan nodded.
	"Damn!" Frederic lamented. "I thought we fixed that during the
second transport. I'll have the mechanics look at it once we've off-loaded
everything."
	He took the opportunity to duck out from his present company and
hunt down one of the platform crew members. Despite the hectic pace of
everyone around them, Magellan and Myung slipped into their own private
universe. The passing day had seen them more apart than together, as they
each co-ordinated the various tasks needed to transport Vlatmere's
military forces. As far as he knew, the only ones who were actually awake
for the bulk of the flight time were the pilots.
	That malfunctioning cargo door was an unwelcome wake-up call when it
had happened. He hadn't been able to get back to sleep afterwards.
	Magellan's ocean blue eyes turned to Myung, who was more fascinated
in looking at the vast expanse of Camelot that lay sprawled out far below
their landing platform. They were on one of the outer walls of the castle;
in order to reach the central parapets and spires of Camelot itself,
they'd still be required to do an extensive amount of walking.
	However, the sheer view alone would make the trek worthwhile. The
lights and architecture were their own marvels to behold; three Vlatmere
castles could fit into Camelot. Before them stood magnificent white spires
that marked the city as one of the greatest marvels of the Solis System.
And in the distance glistened the walls of the fabled Crystal Tower.
	Somewhere within those walls was the room of the Round Table. That
was the ultimate, and final, destination Magellan had in mind. There he
would be conferring with rulers, knights and kings. If there was anyone he
would have to prove himself to, they would be in that room.
	But he would not be going in alone.
	"Are you sure you want to be here?" he asked, turning to Myung.
	The concern for her safety was still in his voice, and while she was
flattered by his chivalric manner, Myung shook her head. "This is more
than me being destined to come here," she answered. "I wanted to come."
	He knew there would be no arguing with her.
	There could be no arguing with her, not after what they had learned
of the Sailor Senshi. If their duty was to protect, then he was hardly one
to stand in her way.
	Right now, Earth needed all the protection it could get.
	Aurora's destruction served to prove that point.
	"You guys have to see this," Frederic stated as he joined them at
the platform's edge. "This isn't some pithy joint training exercise. This
is an army massing for a serious battle. Hell, I've seen several of the
best warriors on the planet milling around here." His face was solemn yet
not without the glow from the constant adrenaline rush, his hand beginning
to stroke his Longbow in anticipation. "There is going to be a major fight
here. I can almost taste it."
	"We're trying to avoid that if at all possible, Commander," Magellan
said sternly. "I'd like to see us all return to Vlatmere without any
injuries or fatalities."
	The prospect of war didn't sit well with him, nor did the battle
lust he could sense creeping its way through the ranks of every military
officer here. There was no honour or glory in a bloodbath. He wasn't sure
he could stand seeing so many people die.
	Especially those under his direct command.
	His uneasiness did not go unnoticed by Myung; his growing concerns
were ones she seemed adept at picking up. "Don't worry," she said quietly,
leaning toward his ear. "When the time comes, you will more than prove
yourself."
	Magellan nodded, silently thankful for her much-needed support.
Vlatmere's prince focused himself; it was time to be authority, and to
delegate it. Everything he had ever wanted to be and do in memory of his
father was reaching its peak.
	"I've got orders to report to King Arthur as soon as possible," he
said to Frederic. "Oversee that everything else happens as it should. We
need to impress these people, and prove that we are among the best Earth
has to offer."
	Frederic grinned impishly. "And what makes you think I haven't
already seen to that? The day-to-day operation of this outfit is my job,
remember. We'll have every other battalion in shame before the sunrise,
and I can promise you that."
	Magellan couldn't help but smile; Frederic was ever the dramatic,
but when it came to matters like this, the man rarely boasted. Those words
his Commander had spoken would be words Frederic would live up to. Period.
	He turned to Myung. "Are you coming with me, Myu--?"
	That last part of her name failed to find vocalization as both
Magellan and Frederic found themselves staring at a Sailor Senshi in their
midst.
	"That was quick," Frederic remarked, nodding his approval. "I could
use one of those henshin things to change out of my uniform for a date."
	Magellan gave Frederic a less than impressed look.
	"I'll go supervise the off-loading," Frederic offered.
	"You do that."
	With a sigh, knowing that this was just Frederic's way of shrugging
off the building tension, Magellan returned his attention to Myung.
No...she was no longer Myung. The young princess before him was now clad
in a sailor battle fuku.
	"I'm assuming you're ready to join me?" he inquired.
	"I wouldn't miss it for anything," Sailor Venus said, winking at
him.
	"Let's go then."
	The two cut across the landing platform, and crossed through the
entranceway. Somewhere along the way, they reached out and squeezed the
other's hand.


	"I must confess," the Man With No Name remarked, looking from one
high ceiling to the next as he traversed the many corridors of Camelot.
"This is quite the artistic design."
	His black garments and redingote let him blend in fairly well with
anyone whom he happened to run into. Most thought him to be some form of
mercenary or assassin; Arthur was employing most anyone who was loyal and
willing to fight.
	The shades were pushed back up the bridge of his nose with his
middle finger, and he turned to his companion. "Wouldn't you agree,
Setsuna?"
	Setsuna nodded, though her thoughts were far from the idle
conversation at hand. "I saw a lot of similar designs on Aurora."
	"You were there when it was destroyed, were you not?" he inquired.
There was nothing implied within his voice. He was merely asking a
question.
	She clenched her jaw, forced back the guilt and frustrations that
she know would forever haunt her. "Yes."
	"And yet you did nothing about it?"
	Again she could only answer, "Yes."
	The Man With No Name paused and turned his head. Even with his black
eyes hidden behind those tinted lenses, Setsuna could feel his penetrating
gaze. And it was, if anything, a terrifying ordeal. He almost seemed to
want to find something wrong, an excuse to vent the dark emotions he found
intriguing to experiment with since his encounter with Mistress 9.
	"You did the right thing," he said at last, resuming his walk. "It
might not have been something you agreed with, but it was what had to be
done."
	He spoke with such certainty.
	A luxury she found herself lacking as of lately.
	"That's just what I need," Setsuna muttered. "Another Raithe."
	He abruptly paused. "Raithe?"
	The fact that the Man With No Name had stopped at the mention of a
name drew out the curiousity from Setsuna, as well as her latent obsession
with finding out the truth behind the one who had been orchestrating the
past at very major turn.
	"Do you know him?" she asked.
	A few moments were taken to consider.
	But the Man With No Name shook his head. "Iie. Somehow that name
brings with it a vague memory. But it still is vague, and vague memories
only bring obscurity. I am looking for memories that bring clarity to my
mission, to my reason for being here. The Raithe is a part of it, but not
enough that I would seek him out for answers."
	Now that came as a slight surprise.
	This man with no name and the Raithe had seemingly unrelated duties
to carry out, neither one wishing to interact with the other. Setsuna had
wondered, ever since meeting the blind stranger, if he was a part of the
Raithe's conspiracy.
	Magenta eyes looked up to one of the grand chandeliers hanging from
the ceiling. "We'll need to meet with Haruka and Michiru soon," she said.
	The Man With No Name gave a slight nod. "Hai hai. All in good time,
Senshi. All in good time."


	As they moved through the great castle Magellan realized that most
of the people idly milling around were warriors; there were few civilians
or even palace staff around.
	That wasn't particularly boosting his confidence.
	He was, though, being noticed. Or rather, Myung was. As Sailor
Venus, she was drawing a lot more attention to herself than he would have
preferred. A little out of jealousy, a little more out of security
reasons. The fact that the short, pleated skirt seemed to show off more of
her legs than any other outfit he'd ever seen wasn't helping either.
	Hallways and atriums passed them by, an intricate and exotic series
of intertwining corridors, each just as beautiful as the last. Soon the
number of people diminished and the security measures increased.
	They had reached the inner part of the castle.
	The base of the Crystal Tower.
	And before them, beyond a set of large decorated doors, laid the
room of the Round Table. On the other side awaited Arthur and every last
military leader dedicated to holding the peace of the Golden Empire
together. As they moved down the hall, they were stopped by one of the
Knights when he saw them coming.
	Magellan leaned closer to Venus. "Sir Lancelot," he told her
quietly.
	Lancelot seemed to recognize him without the need for a formal
introduction. "Ah, I'm pleased to see you could make it," the Knight
Commander said warmly, extending a hand in greetings. Magellan shook it.
"It's good to see you again."
	"Despite the circumstances, I agree," Magellan concurred.
	Absently reaching back to free his loose pigtail from the collar of
his armour, Lancelot abruptly took notice of Sailor Venus. Instantly his
demeanor changed, his body straightening up before he bowed to kiss her
hand.
	Chivalry had yet to be pronounced dead in this age.
	"And who is this beauty?" the Knight inquired.
	Magellan shifted his stance, gesturing as regally as he could. Here
was the first test of everyone's reception. "This is the Sailor Venus, one
of the Sailor Senshi."
	Lancelot seemed to take the revelation well. "Sailor...Senshi, you
said?" he asked, almost laughing. He seemed to expect a denial, that this
was just some sort of prank. After all, the Sailor Soldiers were nothing
more than legends.
	Venus nodded her own affirmation. "I assure you, Sir Lancelot, that
I am a Sailor Senshi. But as far as I know I am the only one."
	The Knight Commander still seemed to be in disbelief, though he was
working hard to suspend it for the time being. Admittedly Camelot would
need all the warriors it could find, even if they did come from legends
and near-forgotten stories.
	Lancelot's eyes trailed downwards as he appraised Venus, his gaze
abruptly halting as he took notice of her fuku and low-cut skirt. "I hope
you're not wearing that into battle," he said. "While it might take your
enemy a long time to actually raise his sword against you, one strike
would kill you in that outfit."
	Magellan inwardly cringed--though he had thought the same thing
himself once before. Venus smiled, stifling a laugh and treating those
solemn words as a well-spoken jest. Her eyes slowly closed, and she let
her power begin to manifest itself.
	Magik stirred as it was invoked by a silent command.
	Twisted and flowed around Venus' still figure.
	Lancelot found himself backing away as he felt the surge of heat and
wind and light. This was just an echo of her true magik, and it was
incredibly tempered. All doubts of who she claimed to be faded to
darkness, and he believed. However, if the legends were indeed true, then
their worst fears of what laid ahead looked to become a reality.
	"Are you two together?" he asked, ensuring his tone was a formal
one.
	Magellan nodded. "Yes, we are."
	Lancelot gestured to the sealed doors and then began walking towards
the room of the Round Table. Magellan and Venus took up step behind him.
	"King Arthur has asked all the commanders to meet at the Round
Table," Lancelot explained. "We've all been on stand-by awaiting your own
arrival. You've done Vlatmere a great honour in mobilizing your forces so
swiftly over such a distance."
	The doors barring the path sensed Lancelot's presence and accepted
him as a rightful one to enter. On any other day, special access for Venus
and Magellan would have been required. This was no mere 'any other day',
and so they were let in without debate.
	Lancelot quickly moved to the side as the doors swung open, allowing
for the two to enter in complete view of the others present. "Lord
Magellan Endymion of Vlatmere, Commander of the Eastern Armies," the
Knight Commander announced to the men gathered in the large room of the
legendary Round Table. "And his companion, the Sailor Senshi of Venus."
	At the statement of there being a Sailor Senshi in their midst, all
conversations fell silent. An awed hush spread across the room, all eyes
upon Venus as she moved into the grand chambers. A faery tale become flesh
was among them, a legend no longer content to let itself remain that way,
treated as a cute bedtime story for little children.
	The residual power from Venus' magik was still radiating around her,
and thus everyone could readily feel the air of authority that emanated
from her. The magik she could wield was more than that of all in the room
combined. If he didn't see that making some of the men nervous, Magellan
would have had to be blind.
	"Well," he remarked in a low voice, finding a quiet place upon the
wall to lean his back against. "You've certainly made quite the impression
on this crowd."
	Universal silence had shattered once more into dozens of smaller,
hushed discussions and debates. The only difference from before was that
most everyone who was talking or listening were sneaking glances in the
direction of Sailor Venus. It was obvious that all conversations were
about the girl in the sailor fuku.
	"I would have acted the same way if someone like me had walked
through those doors," Venus replied, leaning alongside him against the
wall.
	Magellan nodded. "Me too. In fact, I did react like that when you
first told me."
	"But at least you didn't start whispering about it behind my back."
	They both became increasingly and uncomfortably aware of the prying
eyes now watching them together. Magellan could well imagine what was
running through their minds. Was she really a Sailor Senshi? And what was
he doing with her? Were those two lovers?
	At least he knew the definite answer to that last one.
	He would have easily challenged anyone there to think it otherwise.
	Abruptly the ranks of officers stiffened and grew quiet. This lull
moved in a wave, which gave Magellan cause to push away from the wall and
stand at attention.
	"His royal Highness, King Arthur!" a page proclaimed on the opposite
side of the room.
	The chambers went silent as the Pendragon walked in through the
grand doors. He surveyed the assembled men--and woman--in the room of the
Round Table, and paused briefly to push the coin-sized lenses back up his
nose. Long blonde hair streaked with grey was tied back behind his head,
his face left revealed for all to see. There was a solemnness in the way
his expression was held, the way he slowly stepped into the room. An air
of absolute authority followed him like an oppressive shadow; the ambience
of the room noticeably changed.
	Arthur took his seat at the Round Table, resting his arms on the
polished marble surface. It was speckled with sapphiric blue and dull
grey, and at its centre was the crest of Camelot. For a moment he stared
at the faint reflection of himself in the stone, and he gathered his
strength.
	"You may all be seated," the King stated after taking his seat. He
was followed then by the Knights. The gathered Generals and Lords each
took to the rows of seats that were arranged to fit the curve of the room.
	Magellan and Venus remained where they were.
	Neither one felt like sitting down.
	Magellan could feel himself grow tense, his thoughts reflecting
those of everyone else there; only five of the Knights were in attendance,
seated at their rightful places at the Round Table. That was less than
half.
	So where were the others?
	Venus took the momentary calm to survey the chamber more closely. As
far as she could see, there was only one door leading in or out; the
ceiling was incredibly high, a glass dome at the peak revealing the
starlit night and half-moon in the skies.
	Abruptly the smooth stone that comprised the walls of the room
rippled, and grew distorted in their elaborate detail. Suddenly they
vanished completely, replaced with large glass picture windows that
spanned the floor to the base of the dome overhead.
	Venus had to keep herself from recoiling in surprise as she found
herself staring down at the rest of Camelot, a seemingly thin pane of
glass separating her from the cold air and a long fall to the ground.
Magellan also leaned forward before ensuring there was still something to
press his back against.
	The room of the Round Table had once been at the base of the Crystal
Tower.
	Now it was at the tower's pinnacle.
	Arthur lifted his head as he addressed the gathering. "Thank you for
coming on such short notice. I wish we could have met differently, for a
joint training exercise or festival, perhaps. Alas, this you all know this
is not so. The true reason for you being here is that we are readying for
war. The Shadow army is mobilizing, and the time for us to at last
confront them is at hand."
	Magellan scowled.
	This was the last thing he wanted to see happen in his lifetime, or
anyone else's for that matter.
	"Lord Endymion," Arthur said as he looked in Magellan's direction,
"You are the last one to arrive. Are your men ready?"
	Magellan bowed slightly. "Yes, Milord, they are ready," he replied.
"They are finishing up the final preparations for base camp as we speak."
	"Excellent," Arthur said. "I also hear you've finished construction
of the first battle skimmers."
	"Yes, Milord. Four in total are on their way, with the remaining two
left to protect my province. They should be arriving at Camelot's
perimeter within a few hours, if all has gone well during the transport."
	That seemed to bring relief to the Pendragon's face. And then he
noticed Sailor Venus standing next to the Vlatmere prince. The confusion
of her presence, as well as her revealing attire, was one he didn't bother
to hide. "I have not seen you before," Arthur said as he looked Venus
over. "And who might you be, Milady?"
	Appropriate to protocol, she bowed to him. Arthur seemed dully
impressed by this. "I am the Sailor Senshi of Venus," she stated.
	Her words did nothing to faze Arthur. If anything, he looked as if
he was expecting like this. Or silently praying for it. A smile found its
way onto his face, and for a brief moment there was hope in his eyes.
"Ah," Arthur said, "And you will be assisting us?"
	"As much as I can," Venus replied. "My destiny is to safeguard this
solar system and its inhabitants. As such I will aid those who fight to
protect it as well."
	Arthur nodded. "And you have my deepest thanks for that. Like many
others, I know of the legends surrounding the Sailor Senshi." Copper eyes
lifted to her, reflecting other hopes but with them greater uncertainties.
"Tell me, are there more of you out there?"
	"As far as I know I am the only Senshi," Venus answered. She sounded
apologetic in her tone, almost as if this was her own fault. "It is
possible that there are others...but I have yet to find any."
	"There's nothing to blame yourself for, Sailor Venus," Arthur
countered, reading the intimations in her voice. "I am grateful for
whatever you can offer of your services, and I am honoured that you are
here with us today."
	His eyes darted to various members of the assembly, now focused upon
them all as a whole. "As you already know, the Shadows have been attacking
and destroying a number of cities already. Be warned this is just an
overture for the true battle. They're coming for Camelot; our best
estimates give us about two days before the attack begins."
	That statement got everyone's attention. Alarmed whispers and
protests erupted from the crowd, and the Knights rose from their seats at
the Round Table, ready to forcibly calm everyone down.
	Magellan's eyes slid shut amidst the voices.
	Silently he swore.
	Venus saw his own reaction, and placed a reassuring hand on his
shoulder. He raised one of his own hands and clasped it with hers. For
now, the future seemed a most hostile thing to look forward to. But if it
had to be faced, then they would face it together.
	"Do we know who is leading the Shadows?" one of the lords asked.
	"Yes, we do." This answer came from Sir Lancelot. Arthur didn't seem
disturbed that someone else was speaking for him. "We believe that it is a
sorceress calling herself Morgana. She has already managed to either
seduce or kill more than half of the Knights of the Round Table, which is
why you only see five of us here today."
	"All but five?" someone cried out. The thought that even one of the
Knights could be turned was unthinkable. The fact that only five of them
had gone untouched was a distressing one.
	"That is why I have called you all here," Arthur stated, the
authority in his voice silencing all other outbursts. "I asked you to
bring your best warriors, because we will need them to fight an enemy that
for the first time rivals our own forces."
	"If she's brought over half the Round Table to her side, how are we
going to have a chance at defeating her?" a general countered.
	Galahad spoke up, "Every army has its weakness. The key to defeating
them is to find that weakness quickly. We can exploit that before we lose
too many resources and become unable to effectively fight them."
	"Sir Galahad is correct," Lancelot agreed. "No army is invincible.
There is always a way to bring it down."
	At that, Magellan raised his hand.
	"I have to ask," he spoke up, bracing even himself for the next
words he was about to speak. "Rumour has it the one responsible for
Aurora's destruction has come to Earth. Has this person joined the ranks
of the Shadow armies?"
	Arthur took a deep breath that answered the question before anything
was spoken. His mouth opened to say something, but another voice supplied
the single word:
	"Yes."
	Everyone turned their heads as someone else answered for the
Pendragon. Merlin was there in the room, fishbone hair catching the glow
from the lights of the city beyond the grand windows. "Her name is
Mistress Nine, though most of my contacts call her the Dark Messiah," the
mage explained. But for all he would say, other things he'd deliberately
keep silent. Even to Arthur himself. "From what we've been able to gather,
it is this Dark Messiah who has been leading the raids that destroyed the
cities of Hakkeda, Tenmile and Kansuke."
	"And you expect us to somehow destroy the likes of her?!" a voice
exclaimed, almost as hysterical in tone as it was incredulous.
	Many others vocalized their agreements.
	The Knights grimaced, looking to each other and to Arthur for a
silent command to leave the Round Table and restore order to the room.
Arthur in turn focused his copper eyes to Merlin. The Ancient merely
nodded.
	A hand was outstretched, and suddenly a burst of lightening exploded
from Merlin's palm. Arcs of radiant electricity shot upwards to the
ceiling in a violent display, the entire chamber now alive in sapphire and
violet hues, winds rising up in a fury to match the fierce expression on
Merlin's face.
	Everyone shut up.
	None dared to speak.
	Magellan remained unfazed. He wasn't one to let maddened panic seize
hold of him in the fist place--not to mention he'd been party to displays
of magik like this a number of times now. Merlin's action was one he had
been expecting. He glanced to Sailor Venus, but her gaze was fixated upon
the power Merlin was invoking.
	Her blue eyes looked from lightening to the Ancient, studying his
methods and magiks, reading for herself the hidden techniques he was
using. And then for a brief moment something else caught her attention.
	Venus glanced to the far side of the circular room, watching the
shadows of Merlin's magik dance across the glass. Amidst the silhouettes
and reflections of those present, something else was standing there,
watching them.
	She was certain of it.
	Yet all she could see were shadowy cloaks, visible only for a few
stray heartbeats amidst the raging magik that was spilling darkness and
light in uneven bursts across the surface of the glass.
	Magellan seemed to sense her sudden caution. "What is it?" he asked.
	"I don't know," she whispered.
	As much as she disliked it, she knew it was the truth.


	On the other side of the darkness, there in the midst of the
Pendragon and his Knights yet remaining unseen to any of their eyes, stood
two Outer Senshi. For listening in on this assembly, Haruka and Michiru
had agreed it best to become Sailors Uranus and Neptune.
	Haruka admitted her trepidation; she had experimented with the
henshin only a few times, and never to the point of actually transforming.
Summoning it from out of nothing was a skill she had developed, though
nothing more had come.
	With a coy smile and a teacher's patience, Michiru had shown her
love by example what needed to be done. While she was amused by the look
on the tall sandy-blonde's face upon seeing how she looked in a low-cut
fuku and skirt, Michiru herself had to admit it was a bit thrilling to be
so seemingly underdressed. Not that in Haruka's presence, this was a new
thing for her.
	Becoming Senshi also proved to amplify their own natural magiks
apart from what could be summoned with the henshins. That was how they
could remain hidden even to one as powerful as Merlin.
	Shadowspell.
	Haruka had learned this stealth magik a long time ago from when she
was a little girl; rarely a day passed by without her using it in some
way. Useful for military games and exercises, and especially invaluable
whenever she had left for her nightly trysts with Michiru.
	Now it served to cloak them in darkness and forgetfulness.
	Or so it appeared.
	Another who possessed the fuku and the magik of a Sailor Senshi was
there. This long-haired blonde girl was catching something reflected by
Merlin's magik. She could see their shadows, but nothing else.
	"Ne, what do you think about her?" Haruka asked, her eyes glancing
over at Sailor Venus.
	Michiru, her back leisurely against the wall as her arms remained
crossed over her chest, merely shook her head. "She's of no concern; her
mission is different from ours, and I honestly see no reason why we should
involve her."
	They had been in Camelot for days now, more at Michiru's insistence
than anyone else's. The Man With No Name felt it was unnecessary to come
here, yet he agreed none the less. A power that was desperately trying to
hide itself was in this city, and Michiru desired to know if this was the
Holy Grail.
	So far the origin of this magik's echo was excelling at masking
itself. But in time they would find it. The future depended on them
finding it. And so Haruka and Michiru kept to the darkened world of
forgetfulness, unknown and unseen to everyone else.
	Both understood their duty.
	Both understood the stakes.
	And both were willing to sacrifice almost anything to ensure the
future was protected.


	Merlin's hand closed, the magik snuffed out by his clenched fist.
Lightening died, and the room returned to its normal illumination. No one
spoke in the calm that followed, though their eyes darted from the Ancient
over to the Pendragon. If ever he desired their full attention, he had it
now.
	"I can understand your concerns; they are warranted," Arthur said.
"Indeed, Mistress Nine is a formidable opponent, and not someone we should
take lightly in any sense of the word. But that doesn't mean we should
abandon everything we've worked to create. I am not about to surrender my
kingdom or the peace of the Solis system to the likes of her without a
fight."
	There was a growing passion in his voice.
	"I will fight alone if I have to," he stated, staring at them all
with the ferocious determination that had given him the strength to
establish the Golden Empire as a peaceful one. "But I'll be damned if I'm
going to let the Dark Messiah destroy all I've come to cherish, and not
stand against her first. If she wants Camelot, then she will have to pry
Excalibur from my cold, dead hands to do so!"
	He had ended in an outburst, left panting for breath.
	Venus couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness that had seized her
instinct. This was more than a rousing speech for Arthur; the King was
angry, and perfectly willing to follow through with his actions. Even to
the death.
	Magellan risked speaking up again. Not to challenge, but to state
the reality of their situation. "Milord, she destroyed an entire planet,
and now she's come to Earth. We don't know of anyone who can or has stood
up to her, and survived."
	No one could be sure of how the Pendragon would react.
	"I respect both your tenacity and your tact, Magellan," Arthur
stated, the approval echoed in his voice. "You would have made your father
proud, because that is a legitimate question we must face."
	Arthur then shook his head. "However, there is one survivor."
	Merlin abruptly sidestepped, his cloaks fluttering and then pulling
in behind the Ancient to reveal another in their presence.
	Bangs of wild, icy blue hair hung over a young man's eyes of a
darker blue shade. The garments of his own world he no longer wore, but
now he was dressed in ambassadorial robes tailored to his body frame. He
looked as if he hadn't slept for days, haunted by a ghost and a dream that
refused to give him rest.
	Once a princess herself, Venus knew the young man instantly.
"Helios," she whispered.
	"Prince Helios of Aurora," Arthur stated. "Many valiant samurai lost
their lives ensuring he could escape to Earth, along with Aurora's most
powerful source of magik, the Golden Crystal. But he has seen the Dark
Messiah fight, and in this we can find our edge."
	Helios stepped forward.
	Averted his eyes from everyone else's gaze.
	And told the gathering what he could remember, what he could recount
before his voice grew choked and the tears fought to flow down his face.
There was still vibrant life in his expression, unbridled emotion barely
kept in check with each word he spoke; he had yet to come to grips with
the tragedy that had befallen his family, his homeworld.
	"We have his detailed report of this on file," Lancelot said,
standing up quickly. The focus was taken away from Helios, letting the
Auroran prince mourn in private. "I suggest you all take a close look at
it before the battle."
	"What's to become of Helios now?" Venus asked.
	Silence.
	Even Arthur resignedly avoided her gaze.
	Helios had become an orphan, and right now no one could afford to be
his family, his friends. The Auroran prince was truly alone. Venus could
almost feel her own heart break, her fists clenching tighter. She opened
her mouth to protest, to angrily demand why he could be forgotten and
abandoned like this, but someone else cut her off.
	"Milord," Magellan said, stepping forward. "I am willing to pledge
my life and my sword to protecting Aurora's prince. I ask you if I may be
allowed to watch over him as if he were my own brother."
	Murmurs ran through the assembly.
	Venus turned to Magellan, the smile on her face dispelling the
surprise in her eyes. Her hand sought his out and gave it a reaffirming
squeeze.
	Helios could only stare at Magellan, a melange of gratitude,
confusion and sorrow mirrored in his expression all at once. So many
thoughts were fighting for control of his emotions, and so he was unable
to say anything. There would be time later to speak and be listened to.
For now, recounting the nightmare upon Aurora had drained whatever
strength he had managed to find over the past week.
	Abruptly a stir of echoes rippled inside Magellan's mind, and he
heard words meant only for him. "I shall visit you shortly," Merlin said,
watching him but saying nothing. The eyes said it all. "We will discuss
the matter of Helios then."
	Magellan nodded, ensuring he made eye contact with the mage.
	With that, King Arthur stood for his final words. "Gentleman, I
suggest you ready your men for battle. My remaining Knight Commanders will
brief you individually. The battle will most likely begin at dawn, two
days hence."
	Everyone saluted him, save for Venus. She instead bowed her head in
respect.
	Glass returned to walls once more.
	The room of the Round Table was silent as Arthur left, followed by
the five remaining Knight Commanders. Merlin placed a hand on Helios'
shoulder, and the two of them flickered out of sight. That left everyone
else remaining to begin their hushed whispers. Many got up and moved
towards the door.
	Magellan and Venus stayed where they were against the wall.
"Something's wrong," Magellan whispered to her. "Did you see the way he
was acting?"
	"Yes," she answered. "His words, his behavior, even the way he sat;
he's certain he will not live to see the end of this battle."
	Magellan pushed off the wall, a somber expression on his face. "None
of us might survive. But I hope we're both wrong, Myung. I truly do."
	Venus nodded, looking down at the floor with worried eyes. "So do
I."


	He was there from the beginning.
	He was there for it all.
	A watcher, a voyeur of lives lived and tales told, of battles lost
and won, of loves forgotten and found again. The shadows became him so
much, as if they were him. And in return he named himself after one such
shadow.
	He closed his eyes of blackest heavens, shimmering constellations
possessed inside his two orbs sealed from the rest of the world. They
opened moments later, and he beheld the past. He beheld a room of circular
form.
	 A bassinet laid atop a large pedestal within a ring of pillars.
Upon each pillar was inscribed a sacred rune. Nine planets and thus nine
columns, each laying claim to its own marking. The pillars, like the
floor, were carved from marble rock that shimmered with its own haunting
magik. Right now the floor, the pillars, and even the walls were a dull
grey.
	If called upon, they would become white. And if asked to conceal,
they would become black. It all depended on the request. But a baby was
sleeping here in this place, so the walls remained dim to encourage a
restful night, a slumber filled with a child's sweet dreams.
	The Raithe approached the bassinet, full of its trim and lace
ribbons and soft swaddling cloth. A cautious hand drew back the
distractions and decorations, and he saw the tiny soul laying there
inside.
	With a cry, a new heart began to beat faster, a hoarse voice
screaming out. A baby girl was born, the first traces of golden blonde
hair but a disheveled mop on her head. Blue eyes with the brilliance of
eternal skies and flawless crystal blinked and then blinked again,
unaccustomed to even this dim light in the room.
	Her mother was killed when the dark forces arrived in search of the
baby. In search of an infant they wanted to control...or kill. They had
stormed into this chamber that was part of the hallowed halls of a once
beautiful castle.
	A beautiful castle called Ilsa Esylin.
	Now it was reduced to a remnant of only death and despair. Ripped
apart by one of Morgana's attacks when she had been spreading her wings of
destruction for the first time, and seeing how flight as an angel of death
suited her. Arthur never knew she was behind the castle's demise.
	No one did save those of Ilsa Esylin.
	And they all died that night.
	This baby's father was presumably killed in this very room.
	The rogue group of roving marauders who called themselves the Shadow
army were blamed. Morgana controlled the first seeds of rebellion even
then; grudges and ambition buried since childhood had a habit of revealing
themselves eventually. Grow to a blossom of twisted hatred and maddened
lust for power if nurtured properly. And Morgana had proven to be without
equal.
	Eyes of midnight heavens narrowed at a falsified death, and all for
the sake of the future. All for the sake of the little life laying here in
the bassinet. The Raithe let the baby child grab hold of his finger, her
petite hand curled around the tip.
	She gazed up at him with innocent wonder.
	Tiny lips mouthed tiny words.
	Do you love me?
	This child, this infant...she had a name. Not one that would be
chosen for her, but one she had already chosen for herself. One that was
whispered on the winds of magik. He knew it, had known it from the
beginning.
	And there was a reason.
	"Serenity...my beautiful daughter," he whispered. A finger trailed
along her cheek, and she seemed captivated by his face. "I wish I could be
your father, but it would appear destiny has other paths for us to walk."
	He abruptly stepped back, watched a nursemaid frantically gather the
baby in her arms. He saw another man stalk inside, one who looked
frighteningly like him, save that midnight eyes were now a sparkling blue.
	The Raithe ran his palm over the curve of the back of his neck,
brushing against the faded copper hair the two versions shared. He watched
in silence as the nursemaid slipped through a secret passage, baby
Serenity in her arms. And then he watched this "human" Raithe draw his
sword and hold at bay the many assassins who came.
	Two enemies became three.
	The three became four.
	And the four became six.
	The Raithe with the blue eyes fought valiantly, fiercely, but fell
regardless. A well-placed longsword through his chest, its blade stained
in blood as it punched through his back, ended the battle.
	Hours passed.
	Shadows came and left, and returned again in vain search for the
baby. They would eventually realize their failure and give chase. Give
chase all the way to Elfhame, and then lose Serenity's scent entirely.
Morgana would kill them for that.
	But Ilsa Esylin was left to its melancholic rubble.
	And the other Raithe, the Raithe with the blue eyes...he suddenly
got up when he should have been dead. Brushed the dust off his cloak and
armour and then looked out to the setting sun. Ochre hues caught his eyes.
	Blue turned to black.
	Stars returned.
	The Raithe closed his own eyes.
	Listened to his newborn daughter's coo.
	But that was a memory, a vague image amidst many that would forever
remain in the past. Untouchable save for a nostalgic recollection.
Unchangeable save for what he was doing now.
	The Raithe's eyes opened once more, and he returned to the present,
to standing on the edge of heaven. White tiled floors stretched out before
him, and behind him, and all around him. He surveyed the grand promenade
of Castle Charon, the dim illumination playing with the shimmer in his own
eyes.
	"You're back, I see," Charon's voice stated.
	The Raithe nodded. "Miss me?"
	"To be perfectly honest, I feel safer with the current management
than I ever did with you."
	"Yare yare," the Raithe sighed, rolling his eyes. "I hand you over
to Setsuna, and suddenly you've got attitude."
	"I learned it from you," Charon bluntly retorted.
	With a slight burst of laughter, the Raithe made his way across the
expansive promenade. Fountains and plants were passed by, and he stopped
upon reaching a large open section of the floor. The shakujyo was
released, left to hover in the air beside him. An outstretched palm was
lifted up the starry heavens.
	And then the air rippled.
	Took form.
	Became a ringed piano which hovered off the ground, not unlike the
one he had once played upon Aurora. Despite the many keys that encircled
the instrument, there was a small bench for a single player awaiting him.
	The Raithe left his shakujyo behind, and sat down. "Think she'll
ever figure out where the pool table is?" he inquired. Fingers ran lightly
over the keys, feather touches ensuring that the stillness of the
promenade was kept intact just a few moments longer.
	"I'll make a point of informing her the next time she comes here,"
Charon answered glibly. "With the other Outer Senshi present, I'm sure
they can have a tournament or something to while the decades away."
	The Raithe smirked, resting his head against his hand as he sat at
the ringed piano. "A shame I won't be around to see that." Centuries of
practice at the game tended to make one a pool shark. He had to laugh at
that idea; only here could he play a game that would have to wait a few
more centuries to be invented.
	He looked up to the dome overhead, as if up there somewhere was the
heart that was Charon. "We had some good times though, didn't we?"
	"Hai."
	A finger idly pushed down on one of the keys. A single note sounded,
echoing across the expansive corridor.
	"You're not coming back again, are you?" Charon asked.
	He nodded, toying with a second note. This one rang out smooth and
clear in pitch, finely tuned to perfection. The second note was joined by
a third, and the third a fourth.
	"Pluto will be your master and companion now," the Raithe said to
his old friend amidst the music that was being created. "My duties are
almost fulfilled."
	Strange as it was to imagine, 'Onee-san' had expressed a sadness,
that 'she' would miss him. In some ways, he supposed he would miss
Setsuna's surrogate older sister...no matter how abstract that was to
ponder, given how their Onee-san seemed to exist as the timestream itself.
	"I remember when I first found this castle," he said, looking out to
the vast array and constellations of stars. "When you came online, one of
the first things you said to me was that you were suddenly worried about
your future prospects."
	"That's because you threatened to paint me bright pink."
	He shrugged nonchalantly. "I threatened to paint the castle bright
pink, not you personally."
	"There's not much of a difference," Charon stated, its tone still
unimpressed with the concept of a chiffon-coloured castle in high orbit
over Pluto.
	The Raithe considered this. "Ara ara," he admitted, his fingers
dancing across the keys. "Point taken."
	He became silent, lost and happily entranced with the melody that
was being brought back to life by his moving fingers. Notes sounded,
developing a rhythm. Though for once it held more a haunting sadness than
a haunting beauty. It was slower than the way he usually played it.
	The impact it made did not diminish.
	And so the Raithe continued to play upon the ringed piano, singing
quietly the words he had once thought to have forgotten.

	"Gomen ne sunao janakute
	 Yume no naka nara ieru
	 Shikou kairo wa shooto sunzen
	 Ima sugu aitai yo

	 Nakitaku naru you na moonlight
	 Denwa mo dekinai midnight
	 Datte junjou doushiyou
	 Haato wa mangekyou...."

	This song had returned to his memories after he met with Serenity
before the Elven mirror. She knew this song, sang it quietly to herself
when she was alone. It was that song which echoed of her magik, and
ultimately a song whose origins came from her. He had played it once, in a
time of quiet intimation after her birth. Then twice for Setsuna; he had
lied to her in saying she was the only one to have heard it.
	This song was the lullaby he had once played to a baby girl, to a
baby Serenity while she laid sleeping. That was the first time the mark of
the crescent moon appeared. And beyond a shadow of any future doubt, he
knew she was the one.
	The Raithe abruptly stopped playing, closed his eyes as he fought
the urge to fall prey to the haunting memories that refused to let him go.
That night Ilsa Esylin fell, the night he had let her mother and his
beloved wife die, was the night he had lost almost all his own humanity.
	"Nausicaa," he whispered.
	He had loved her.
	Had spent all the time in the world trying to find another way for
this to happen, to protect her and their baby girl. And found there could
be no other way. Just as there was no other way to save Aurora.
	Midnight eyes opened up once again. Fingers found the keys and
notes, and continued the song.
	There was still a chance to save Earth.
	The Messiah of Light was the soul Setsuna would have to find by
herself. It was the only way the future could take shape to become the
beautiful reality he only saw in dreams. One his daughter could find peace
within. And so he played the Moonlight Denketsu one final time, for
himself.
	No longer was it his own private piece to treasure.
	But perhaps...perhaps it was better this way.
	The Raithe turned his head upon hearing the sound of a gentle wind
blow past his seated form. And he could hear in there a voice. And so he
listened. It spoke of the future and of duty, and of a collision between
them that he could no longer delay.
	Slowly the Raithe let the last notes of the song come to an
unfinished end, his fingers pulling away from the keys. For so long he had
lived for the future, for the glimpses of tomorrow he could catch when he
slept. And now he saw himself no longer a part of that future.
	The night was falling. The demons were lurking. And before he left
the piano, the Raithe clung to the gentle tears cried by a beautiful angel
lost upon the Earth.
	His time had come.
	His eyes looked upwards to the expansive space and stars beyond the
castle. "Sayonara, Charon. It's been fun."
	"Hai. Take care of yourself."
	A smile tugged at the edges of his lips. A familiar and playful
smile, of enjoying the knowledge he possessed. "I always have, even when
I'm taking care of everyone else."
	The Raithe began to walk away from the piano.
	"Ne," he added, looking back over his shoulder. "I have one last
task for you, Charon...."


	"Something wrong?" Venus asked him.
	Magellan gave a half-hearted shrug, still lost in his thoughts as
they walked down on of Camelot's multitudes of corridors. "I keep going
over in my head what you found in the Venus mainframe, about the Senshi
Wars," he said. "You think this might be the Chaos entity returning?"
	"I don't think so," Venus countered. Though he would have preferred
otherwise, she had decided to remain in her sailor battle fuku. If
anything, it was to boost the morale of the troops and give them a hope.
"If Chaos had found its way here, it wouldn't be serving anyone. Odds are
it would have already wiped out life on half the planets. This Dark
Messiah seems to be acting under someone else's orders."
	The two stopped at one of the large atriums, looking at the towering
glass windows that gave them access to seeing the beginnings of the
sunrise. Red and orange hues were striking the sprawling cityscape, an
entire horizon bathed in the colours of the rising sun. They had been
awake for over a full day now. Strange how he was still able to think as
clearly as he was.
	Adrenaline had a way of doing that.
	"I don't buy it," Magellan said. "This Mistress Nine annihilates a
planet on a whim, and then decides to become a harbinger for hire on
Earth?" He shook his head, a frown marring his face. "There's something
else going on here, Myung; something that even Arthur and Merlin may be
unaware of. I can't shake the feeling that this war means more to the
future than any of us can imagine."
	Venus nodded. "If we Sailor Senshi are being revived, then it can
only mean there's more to this battle than we know."
	The only question remained, the enigma she was now trying to
decipher, was what this significance meant. They were both privately
intimating on its mysteries, having long since exhausted any ideas they
could have pooled from each other. The two left the atrium and continued
down another corridor towards the location of Vlatmere's troops.
	They came to an intersection.
	And found Merlin awaiting them.
	"Come with me," the Ancient instructed. He turned and moved down one
of the other halls, his dark cloak billowing out behind him. Magellan and
Venus followed in suit, drawing up beside him. The corridor they walked
was empty, and the echo of their footsteps seemed to resound from one end
to the other. After being in the middle of Camelot's bustle, arriving in a
deserted area was a little eerie.
	Merlin glanced over at Venus, idly stroking his chin as he appraised
her. "You're not quite what I expected a Senshi to look like," he
admitted, glancing down at the skirt. "Neither of you are, for that
matter.
	He took another few steps before realizing that Venus and Magellan
had frozen in their pace, a look of shock on their faces. "'Neither'?"
Magellan repeated, sounding uncertain if he had heard right.
	Venus stared at the Ancient, her blue eyes wide in surprise. "You
mean that others have awakened?"
	Merlin remained cool under their demanding gazes. "Surprised as you
may be to know this, you're not the first Senshi I've encountered lately,"
he stated.
	"Then there are other Senshi," Venus pressed.
	The look of hope on her face had returned.
	"I suppose," Merlin said. "I'm not certain if I should even be
telling you this--but I cannot deny the feeling that you and her will be
encountering each other soon. The woman I met is Sailor Pluto, the
guardian of time. I haven't the slightest idea how long she's been around
for."
	The elation on Venus' face faded, replaced with something else.
Something she didn't ask verbally, but questioned never the less. Magellan
knew what she was thinking: why hadn't Sailor Pluto appeared to them yet?
	"She's fairly old for her age, even if her appearance is deceiving,"
Merlin added. "You surprise me, Princess Myung. You're quite young for
your age."
	Venus' hand grabbed hold of Magellan's arm, and even Magellan seemed
to become defensive. That had been a carefully-guarded secret, and those
who knew understood the implications of what might happen if Myung was
discovered. In that moment, Venus regarded Merlin as a possible threat.
	Somewhat amused by this, Merlin chuckled to himself before giving
her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Milady; there are many other secrets
besides your true identity that have been locked away in my mind. I can
merely see through the illusion your fuku's magik is invoking, and I have
no intention of letting what I know slip out."
	Still a little wary, Venus could only nod.
	"Are we going to see Helios?" Magellan asked, tactfully changing the
subject.
	Merlin nodded. "His chambers are this way."


	Wintry blue eyes looked vacantly at the room around him. A luxury
suit, reserved for visiting ambassadors and royalty. This guest chamber
was one of the best Camelot had to offer, that much was assured. Half the
room was one long, curved glass window that stretched from floor to high
ceiling. From here one could see the magnificent expanse the city, with
the Crystal Tower pointing towards the skies that were now on fire from
the sun's rays.
	He let the sunlight illuminate his room by day, and by night the
shimmering array of Camelot's lights. The lighting in the room remained
untouched. Numerous enchanted lanterns were scattered across the room; not
a single chandelier was present.
	The floors were hardwood, and many small yet beautiful flowers found
places built into the walls or placed on pedestals or arranged on the
floor to add to the beauty of this room.
	It almost felt like home.
	Helios' spirits crashed once more, like they had so many times in
the past few days. Sunlight and darkness had long become a blur of relived
pain. The fourpost bed, and its boggling multitude of puffed-up throw
pillows, had been rarely slept in. The sheets had yet to be disturbed. If
he managed to get any sleep at all in the day, it was always when he
curled himself up into a ball at the foot of the bed.
	The anxiety over the meeting had kept him awake all night. The
desire to close his eyes, lower his guard and surrender himself to sleep
was growing more a temptation with each passing minute. But he was waiting
for Merlin, and so he kept himself awake.
	Sometimes pain had a use after all.
	How could he sleep with it stabbing at his delicate heart?
	"Hotaru," he whispered.
	His fingers clenched into a ball, nails cutting into his skin and
drawing blood as his fists shook. Frustration and fury was all there as he
gazed out at Camelot.
	What had happened to her?
	Why had his raven-haired angel become that demoness?
	The last hour spent upon his homeworld was one racked with vicious
and unrelenting memories that he feared would never give him peace. He had
watched as his father was torn in two, and then witnessed Reika be cut to
pieces in protecting him.
	Helios opened his hands, oblivious to the trickles of blood that ran
down his one palm and dripped scarlet droplets onto a flawless floor. The
air between his palms rippled in distortion, growing heated and sparking
with a magik he did not wish to be kept hidden forever.
	The Golden Crystal appeared, hovering before him.
	Its radiance was almost blinding, but he endured it.
	When he had first proven himself worthy of being the Crystal's
protector, it had given him such peace to simply bask in the presence of
its magik. Yet now he felt nothing. Just a hollow emptiness inside, a
gaping maw of darkness that was swallowing him up.
	He had sworn to protect the pillar of Aurora, and its people. And
failed.
	"What good am I without a kingdom?" he demanded, his voice hushed
and broken. "What good are you if you have nothing left to support with
your magik?
	A tear fell upon the surface of the glowing gemstone.
	The Golden Crystal responded.
	Helios' eyes widened as he found himself plunged into the past, into
a treasured memory that had been forgotten in his mourning. But it was a
treasured memory that did not wish to remain forever buried.
	It had not been the best of times or places for a prince to be.
	But no one was aware he had slipped away.
	Helios stood amidst a garden of pools and canals, steam from the
heated waters billowing out into the cool night air. The reflections upon
the pools' surfaces seemed to be drinking in the liquid starlights, ever
thirsty.
	Reika had just been defeated.
	And so Hotaru had come to this place to wash the battle's sweat from
off her smooth, pale skin. She had never objected when she saw him at the
pool's edge. Her own body was partially submerged in the waters, her
soaked ceremonial dress clinging to the contours of her body while its
edges floated on the surface of the water.
	Helios lifted his head, saw himself standing far above Hotaru. He
watched without words as the dreamt Helios stepped off the edge and
plunged into the pool. His white uniform was soaked through, as he flipped
aside some of his icy blue hair. Hotaru laughed and smiled.
	Smiled as if nothing else mattered but this quiet moment.
	The dream continued, Helios and Hotaru drawing close together as the
steam rolled around them, their lips pressing as they drank from a shared
kiss.
	Memory faded.
	Helios returned to the guest room, and the Golden Crystal had once
again vanished. The beating of his heart had quickened while his entire
being had grown calm. That was the Hotaru he had fallen in love with, the
Hotaru he wanted to marry and become his queen. He refused to believe the
young samurai who had saved him from his own shadow side had become this
vindictive Dark Messiah. Hotaru wasn't like that. She was the one he had
loved ever since their first encounter on Aurora's tidal shores. Her
violet eyes and raven-dark hair....
	Wintry blue eyes sealed themselves.
	"Iie," he said to himself, in a voice full of numbing pain. "She is
not Hotaru. She cannot be Hotaru."
	Helios turned away from the window as his chamber door was opened.
Merlin stepped through; an unusual event, given how virtually every other
time in the past, the Ancient had simply appeared without knocking. The
Auroran prince understood why this was the exception as two visitors
entered behind Merlin.
	"You," he said, recognizing Magellan from the gathering at the Round
Table. He looked away, unable to meet with Magellan's gaze. "Why are you
doing this?" Helios asked quietly.
	Magellan's gaze was solemn yet not without a kindred compassion.
"Because I see myself when I look into your eyes," he answered. "Because
we both lost our fathers before they were meant to go. They were stolen
from us by the same force that now threatens Earth."
	Helios could only gaze up at him.
	Understanding yet still unbelieving.
	"What you went through is beyond anything I could empathize
with...but I'm not about to let it end there. If ever the Solis System
needed hope, it's now." Magellan looked to Venus, and for a brief instant
he saw the Senshi without her fuku. And Myung looked so beautiful. Her
smile was his hope, and he refused to let it be taken from him without a
fight. "I won't let this war consume you, Helios. I was at that edge once,
but I was pulled back by someone who cared for me."
	He looked back to Helios, and extended his hand.
	"Let me be that person for you."
	Helios hesitated.
	And then stepped forward, embracing Magellan as if they were blood
brothers. "Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you...."
	Venus smiled to herself as she watched them together. There was more
to Magellan's fragile soul than many knew; Helios was one of the few who
saw the Vlatmere prince being this honest. With both himself and with
those around him.
	Abruptly Merlin cleared his throat, gathering the attention of the
room's occupants. It might have been a touching moment, but there were
other shadows lurking. And time for Camelot was running out.
	"Mistress Nine seemed to want Aurora's Golden Crystal, though none
of us know why." Merlin glanced over to the bed that had rarely seen any
sleep in it. "The past few days of masking its presence in Aurora has kept
me regrettably preoccupied. And right now, I am at a loss on how we can
continue to keep it hidden, especially now that Mistress Nine seems bent
on marching up to Camelot's front doors."
	Magellan found an edge upon the bed to sit down on, studying the
floor as he tried to conjure up some miraculous solution. He barely even
noticed he had summoned a yellow rose, twirling its stem between his
fingers. All too quickly he realized he was at a loss.
	"I'm sorry," he sighed, shaking his head. It was then that he
noticed the rose in his hands. "I barely know anything about magik, save
that which I can throw."
	Helios turned to Merlin. "Will a Shadowspell work?"
	"Iie," the Ancient answered grimly. "The Golden Crystal is capable
of incredible bursts of magik that would shatter even my best Shadowspell.
One such explosion and Mistress Nine will be there in a heartbeat."
	"Then I'll control the output of my crystal's magik," Helios said,
desperate to find a way. "Nothing that will overtly break the
Shadowspell."
	Magellan pushed off the bed, took a few steps towards them. "Won't
work. We just might need every last magik we can pull together to fight
Mistress Nine. Hiding you will become a moot point, and then she'll come
after you."
	"What about creating a new world for him?" Myung asked. Everyone
went silent, all eyes turning to her. "We're looking at a permanent home
for Helios," she continued. "But if we can't find a place here that can
cloak his powers from the Dark Messiah, why not create one?"
	"Can we do that?" Magellan mused, more to himself than anyone else.
	Helios nodded. Wintry blue eyes focused upon Merlin. "I know your
magik, Merlin-sama. I can feel your power as an Ancient, and I know that
creating such a realm is not beyond your capabilities."
	Long fingers with aged, taut skin stroked the side of Merlin's chin.
He was considering, weighing the implications. For a time he was silent.
"I can create a world for you," Merlin said finally. "It would consume
much of my power, but it can be done."
	"The sooner, the better," Magellan added. "I'd prefer Helios' new
realm constructed before the Shadow army decides to appear. For his sake
and ours."
	"My sentiments exactly," Merlin agreed.
	This hidden place, ensuring Mistress 9 would not attack it again
unless all of Earth's defenses had fallen first, would be guarded over by
Magellan's family line. It was the duty and the honour he had chosen to
take. As he looked at the hopeful expression on Helios' face, Magellan
held no regrets about making this choice.
	Merlin turned to the Auroran prince, his open palm slowly passing
before Helios' face. "Sleep," the Ancient said, and Helios' eyes closed.
	Venus was behind the Auroran prince, and caught him as his body lost
its strength in the quietude of slumber. Magellan helped her carry Helios
to the bed. She took great care to set aside the pillows covering the
head, drawing back the sheets before tucking Helios beneath them.
	"Sleep well," she whispered, kissing the prince's forehead.
	Magellan came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her
waist. He didn't want to say anything. Simply savour the warmth of her
body and delight in her compassion. She knew his intentions and let their
bodies sway together slightly, their eyes closing for a moment shared only
between lovers. Where sight meant nothing, and minds seemed to almost
touch and become one.
	Their eyes opened as Merlin crossed the expanse of the suite, the
mage staring out at the windows. The sun had almost finished rising. And
despite the tension, the city was still just as alive as it ever was.
Though today the activity held war at its heart, and soldiers as its
instigators.
	"I never spoke of this to him," Merlin said quietly. "But with a new
world comes a price. In hiding there, Helios will forget almost everything
that happened upon Aurora. The memories of his planet, his family, and his
past will be wiped clean. All that will remain will be his knowledge of
protecting the Golden Crystal."
	There was silence in the room once more.
	Tongues were paralyzed.
	And Magellan broke away from Venus.
	"It seems cruel to decide this for him without his consent," she
said at last, a sickening vice clamping down on her stomach.
	Merlin nodded, a saddened gaze of his own betraying his sympathies
and regrets. "I know, but there is no other way. I have been watching
Helios' dreams and nightmares; there are some memories he would refuse to
let go of, because right now they are all he has left to cling to. He
remains unable to see the hope in a new life and a new world."
	"And there's nothing else that can be done?" Magellan asked.
	The Ancient gave a negative response in shaking his head.
	Magellan kept the core of his emotions bottled in, hiding the
frustration. To have made such progress only to learn of a hideous cost.
His jaw clenched, he growled something incoherent and smashed the base of
his palm against the window. The impact was more a ricochet than direct,
and so while the window shook it did not crack. Likewise with Magellan's
hand.
	"There's more," Merlin said, not liking this any more than they did.
"If we want Helios' security ensured, that means his realm will have to be
inaccessible to even the Dark Messiah; the gateway will become more
abstract than any other portal on this planet. We go through with this,
and not even you or I will be able to call upon the magik of the Golden
Crystal."
	They would be fighting this alone.
	Magellan turned to the sleeping prince. He had asked to become
Helios' protector and was granted that request. He knew there would be
risks and consequences. Now there could be no turning back. It was one of
the hardest decisions he had to make, and he was certain this would not be
the last.
	"Do it," he said finally, his voice subdued.
	They stepped back from the bed, leaving Merlin alone before the
Auroran prince. He stood over Helios' sleeping form, a wizened old man
with fishbone white hair and a thin wiry body frame. Magik stirred,
focused and churned within the chambers. And then Merlin's features melted
away to reveal the Ancient he truly was. White hair became a flowing dark
mane, and his skin's pallor became naturally tanned.
	The old man was gone.
	In its place was the power of the ancient magiks.
	Palms outstretched over Helios, Merlin's eyes closed as he began to
mutter something in rapid syllables. The sunlight outside became but the
glow of a dwindling candle as a spark erupted from within the room. It was
like watching tamed lightening, arcs bursting forth and travelling from
Merlin's hands to the walls and ceiling and onto the bed.
	The covers flickered in and out of existence.
	Helios never awakened as the magik gently picked him up and cradled
him in its heart. A frenzied whirlwind encircled him, letting him drift
and dance through the air. The eye of the storm was shimmering in the
purity and brilliance of the Golden Crystal as it worked to merge magiks
together.
	The events of the next few minutes were hard for even Venus to
describe. As if a multitude of miniature glass panes were appearing in a
piece by peace fashion, creating some sort of labyrinthine jigsaw puzzle.
Helios' image and the storm encircling him became distorted, everything
blurred and out of place with itself.
	Flashes of light began to ignite from each shard of glass. And then
a once transparent window became a reflection. Mirrors were being forged,
cascades of them moving from floor to ceiling. Magellan could see hundreds
of his own small face in the mirrors. And then suddenly the mirrors
decided to reflect what they wanted to reflect.
	Landscapes.
	A loved one.
	A kiss.
	The future.
	So many faces and so many strange mysteries, each one beautiful yet
remaining unknown to the masses. So many ambitions and hopes and dreams
captured within these mirrors. One by one the mirrors began to disappear,
fading away with one final flash of faery starlight. The dominos began to
fall.
	And Helios was no longer at their centre.
	Merlin's voice echoed within Magellan's mind as the invocation
reached its frenzied climax. "The secrets of Helios' realm will be meant
only for your family. Protect it from those who would want to invade it
and use the Golden Crystal for dark purposes. Protect the crystal, and
Helios, with your life."
	And so as the magik wove its skein of mirages and mirrors around
Helios' form, Magellan silently listened to Merlin's echo of words and
revelation.
	The Golden Crystal would become but another legend, quickly
dismissed by many, sought after by a handful, and found by none. Helios
would never remember his family, his homeworld or his time with Hotaru;
the next time he awakened, he would know only his newfound kingdom. It
would be a realm hidden somewhere between sleep and awake, a world
considered the vain fantasy of a romantic, and the object of a dreamer's
obsession. Never quite there, and never quite realized save for in the
hearts of little children, and the handful of people whose beautiful
dreams never age.
	And it would have a name.
	Illusion.


	"Why must you pace so?" Morgana inquired, growing agitated herself
as she watched the Messiah of Silence stalk across the throne room.
	Mistress 9 didn't answer, feeding her own dark thoughts with the
same poison. She was a harbinger of death and destruction. And yet here
she was doing nothing.
	Nothing!
	The seething demeanor of such uselessness was echoed in every small
movement of her body, the malice of being restricted here reflected in
those violet eyes that darted to each and every shadow, and glared at
them.
	It was like watching a tiger pace its cage.
	The predator wanted out.
	Wanted to hunt and kill again.
	Morgana looked at the faceted diamond in her caduceus, trying to
take her mind off Mistress 9's restless state. And trying to ignore the
growls from Metalia that she was losing control of her Dark Messiah. "You
would be wise enjoy this lull before the storm. Patience is a virtue."
	"I lack it," Mistress 9 stated, an air of defiance in her voice. She
was unimpressed with her present condition and had no qualms about making
that fact known.
	Morgana leaned forward in her throne. "I don't. I have spent decades
cultivating my patience, refining my wrath and sharpening it to deliver an
even greater deathblow now."
	Mistress 9 growled under her breath. Why she remained this pitiful
creature's lackey was a reason that evaded her. The Dark Messiah resisted
the urge to run Morgana through with her glaive. In truth, she had come as
far as she could with the StarChamber. It was aligned to create a portal
to the distant star cluster where Pharaoh 90 laid. But what she needed now
was a power source. That Auroran brat had stolen the Golden Crystal from
her, denying her the immense power required to bring her master into this
system.
	She had been unable to find a trace signature of that crystal
anywhere. That meant it was being cloaked, and the only place such a power
could be masked was Camelot. She wanted that power. Pharaoh 90 had
entrusted her to a duty.
	It was her master, not Morgana.
	And she wanted to make her master happy.
	Mistress 9 stopped before the throne. "Give me the command," she
stated.
	Morgana scowled, seeing her grip on the Dark Messiah indeed
slipping. It appeared that Camelot would mark the end of this woman;
Morgana would consult Metalia and see to that. But so long as Arthur fell,
the future was hers to seize.
	"Go," she said finally.
	The Dark Messiah's gaze was cold, her face twisting into a gleefully
malevolently smile that made Morgana inwardly shiver. Mistress 9 took up
her glaive. "About time."


	Magellan and Sailor Venus found Frederic personally overlooking the
last of the preparations for the Eastern Army's base camp. The area around
Camelot consisted primarily of vast fields and low rolling hillsides. It
not only gave the sentries an advantage, but it also allowed the overflow
of soldiers to set up their camps just outside the city without worry of
being cut off from Camelot's support.
	Frederic waved them over as he dismissed a group of soldiers. All
around him were various tables and equipment.
	"How's it look?" Magellan asked as he walked up.
	"This is me we're talking about!" Frederic replied with a grin.
"Vlatmere's mobile army looks perfect. Especially compared to those slobs
with the south-west army. I think they're still trying to get their
communications gear up."
	Venus was unable to contain her amused smile. "And let me guess, we
were the first ones up, right?" she inquired. Despite his usually tactless
sense of timing and humour, she had to admit Frederic was a logistical
genius.
	"Naturally!" Frederic replied, spreading out his arms and gesturing
to the Vlatmere forces behind him.  "Last ones to get here, but the first
ones up on the network! That technically made us the first ones combat-
ready even though we didn't even have the tents up!"
	Venus turned to Magellan. "He certainly takes pride in his work,"
she said. There was both admiration of Frederic's skill, and a scathing
dryness at his over-enthusiasm.
	If Frederic heard the darker edge in her voice, he ignored it. "I
eat, breathe and sleep this kind of work, Myung," he said with a courteous
stage bow. "All these boys here have been trained to have the precision
and audacity to run when everyone else decides to walk. Accept no
substitutes, and never bet on the competition."
	Frederic leapt onto one of the tables, making a grandiose gesture.
And by this time, he was garnering a crowd of cheering Vlatmere soldiers.
	"We are the best and the badest, and we are going to march right up
the Dark Messiah's ass before kicking it across the Solis System!" he
proclaimed. "This is what we do for a living, Milady!"
	The soldiers broke into thunderous applause and cheers.
	Frederic shouted with them, his hands triumphantly above his head as
if he was a winning prizefighter. With a euphoric grin he turned to one of
the neighbouring camps. "No one can touch us, because Vlatmere's the best
and the only one there is!"
	"Shut up, Frederic!" someone shouted back from the neighbouring
camp.
	"Well, I see you already made a new friend," Magellan said dryly.
"Lord Wainwright really seems to love you."
	Frederic jumped down off the table, taking a moment to push back the
hair in front of his eyes. "Nah. He's just angry because my bedside is
booked solid for the next two weeks--whereas his isn't."
	He was breathing heavier from the spontaneous speech.
	And still loving every minute of it.
	Venus could only shake her head at the raging testosterone around
her. "Some boys never grow up," she sighed, walking away.
	"What did I say?" Frederic asked innocently enough as he watched her
walk off.
	Magellan gave his friend an incredulous look. "Oh, don't act so coy.
You know exactly what you're doing; you just want me to give you an
alibi."
	Frederic shrugged in response. "What can I say? That's the way I
am."
	"You're never going to get married at this rate."
	"Who says I want to?"
	Magellan had to laugh. "Well, at the very least you've managed to
get their spirits up. Whatever tension our army's felt seems to be gone."
	"You can thank me later," Frederic said, grinning as a number of the
soldiers gave him friendly slaps on the back. Now charged with newfound
adrenaline, everyone was returning to their posts and duties. "In the
meantime, I need to bring you up to speed with some of the strate--"
	Magellan abruptly raised a hand, motioning for silence. Something
else had caught his attention. Sight was doing nothing to help identify
the source, but that didn't stop his entire body from vibrating.
	"Do you feel that?" he asked, turning to Frederic.
	A low trembling of the earth.
	Steady and rhythmic.
	And it was getting louder, stronger.
	It wasn't just them feeling this either; everyone in the camps
seemed to stop what they were doing and gaze off towards one horizon line.
Nothing could be seen, save for the distant haze of the morning skies.
	"Whatever's coming our way is pretty damned big," Frederic said. He
snatched one of the visors set on a nearby table, placing it over his
eyes. A few moments of scanning to horizon turned up nothing. "I can't see
anything," he stated. "Heat scans are coming out negative; if they're our
boys, they're probably operating on stealth mode. These tremors might be
coming from underground too...though I've never known the Shadow army to
try that."
	Magellan knelt down, pressed his hand against the trembling ground.
He was certain he recognized this sensation. And he was expecting the
source's arrival too.
	"Get to a higher point," he instructed, looking over his shoulder to
Frederic. "If I'm right, they're barely at the horizon."
	Frederic sprang onto one of the tables, too preoccupied to take care
where he stepped. A few weapons and some smaller items of equipment were
either kicked aside or just kicked right off the table. For the
uninitiated, it looked as if Frederic was simply using the visor as a
sunscreen.
	Yet the interior of the visor was alive with images, screens and
scrolling data. Developed in close association with Mercurian scientists,
such a visor had more analytical powers compacted into its small form than
some castles' mainframe computers. Vlatmere had been granted use of the
visors to work with the battle skimmer construction; the visors were a lot
easier to work with in field tests while evaluating the development of the
stealth abilities.
	"They're on stealth mode, all right," Frederic said. "I can make out
partial distortions, but that could easily be a mirage caused by the
sunlight. Nothing on heat scanners, and the only sound I can pick up is
the wind and the vibrating ground."
	Abruptly the empty fields far in front of them were no longer empty.
The air rippled violently, everything around it becoming blurred and
warped. And then out from the heart of the distortions punched four
enormous, moving structures. Cylindrical in form, painted with a faded
metallic brown tint not unlike the colour of the desert sands. A modern
comparison would have likened such things to a submarine wolfpack moving
over the land instead of cutting through the water.
	"They're here," Frederic stated, still working with the visor. "The
battle skimmers have arrived." He looked over his shoulder to Magellan.
"I've already talked with Camelot strategists about how they want the
skimmers deployed. The heavy artillery pair will be with us on the front
lines for the first assault. The troop carriers will pull around and flank
the Shadow armies from behind to back us up."
	Magellan nodded.
	While the ground tremors were an unavoidable problem due to the
intense fields generated by the hovering crafts, in every other way the
skimmers were undetectable. Once revealed, the enormous side panels of the
skimmers would retract into the body of the craft, revealing either rows
of combat-ready troops...or the multitude of gun turrets hidden inside.
	Three skimmers were custom-made for the heavy artillery fire, the
other three for soldier transport. Two of each were here to help defend
Camelot.
	"Are those the skimmers?" Myung asked, stepping in behind Magellan.
	Frederic recoiled in surprise, practically toppling off the table.
"When did you get back?" he gasped, one hand pushing up the visor, his
other clutching his chest as if his heart was ready to explode.
	Magellan turned his head, and noticed something different about his
blonde angel. "You're out of uniform," he remarked quietly to her.
	Myung smiled. "Your men know me better as Myung. I'm more
comfortable like this around them."
	Magellan considered their potential reactions to seeing Myung in
that short pleated skirt. Given their current euphoria courtesy of
Frederic's speech, Myung was better than Sailor Venus. At the very least,
they knew Myung was taken. Ocean blue eyes caught the reflection of the
sun's rays against the Star Sapphire in her ring.
	He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I like you better this way
too."
	"Why is it that Aurora developed all this advanced weaponry  around
magik, anyways?" Frederic sighed aloud, removing the visor and dropping
down from the table. The visor was placed on the tabletop, and Frederic
took the chance to take up his trusted longbow. "This system's most
devastating powers belong to an elite few--while the rest of us are made
to use more conventional and chivalric means."
	As if to emphasize his point, he ran his hand along the longbow.
	"What would you prefer?" Myung asked. "These deadly weapons in the
hands of a few malicious magik-wielders, who are outnumbered and easily
rivaled by those magik users who desire peace? Or would you rather let
anyone pick up such a weapon and commit to lawlessness and chaos?"
	Frederic looked to Magellan for help.
	Magellan had none to offer.
	"The lady knows how to argue," Frederic conceded, almost ruefully.
	Myung avoided Magellan's gaze, and instead opted to watch the battle
skimmers pull closer to the cityscape of Camelot. It was quiet knowledge
among the high royalty that Aurora ensured it was--it had been--the
primary source of weapons development. What Aurora created was freely
handed to other planets. But the skills of wielding such devastating
powers, magik or otherwise, was placed in the trust of those who would not
abuse their gift. It might seem unfair to the average soldier, but it kept
the peace greater than anyone imagined.
	Earth, and more importantly Vlatmere, had been given the honour of
being the development centre for Aurora's battle skimmer profile. The
first heavy-artillery attack vehicles, with a limited hover capacity. Most
everything else that relied on magik as an offensive weapon were single-
manned fighters. Nothing as grand as the skimmers.
	Frederic motioned towards a private tent for them to talk in. They
would still be able to keep an eye on the approaching battle skimmers
while discussing the quieter points of this war. Myung stayed outside a
short time longer, still watching the distant silhouettes of the skimmers.
	"So," Frederic inquired. "How was the meeting with our King?"
	"Disturbing," Magellan replied as he moved into the tent.
	Frederic winced. "That good, huh?" He took a seat at the awaiting
table, across from the Vlatmere prince. "What happened?"
	"The Shadows are coming here for an all-out assault on Camelot,"
Magellan said soberly. "The battle looks like it will begin in a few days.
But that wasn't the really scary part."
	"What was it?"
	Magellan studied the table more than watch Frederic, mulling over
the details himself. "There were only five Knights of the Round Table
remaining. The rest were either killed or seduced to the Shadows by their
leader, a sorceress who calls herself Morgana." His eyes shifted, ocean
blue orbs staring at Frederic. "There was the way King Arthur himself was
acting. It was like he didn't expect to survive the impending battle."
	Frederic was uncharacteristically quiet for several minutes before
speaking again. "You know, I once heard a rumour that Arthur had a sister
named Morgana. I wonder if it's true?"
	"It's only a rumour, Frederic. Nothing about that story's been
proven."
	"Just because it hasn't been proven doesn't mean it's not true,"
Frederic argued. "I don't remember it exactly, but it was something along
the lines that she was a bastard child of some kind, and became a powerful
sorceress. Apparently she felt that she was the one who should have worn
the crown, and has been trying to get back at Arthur ever since."
	If that was true, they definitely had problems.
	Frederic leaned back in his chair and tilted his head up to stare at
the ceiling of the tent. "This could get ugly, Magellan. I mean, really
ugly. It's no wonder that King Arthur feels like he might not live to see
tomorrow's end. It would also explain the power that Healer felt at
Myung's crashed shuttle--if Morgana's as powerful as the rumours say she
is."
	"It makes a lot of sense, I agree," Magellan said, nodding. "But
there's more."
	"Do I really want to know?" Frederic asked, continuing to lean back
and stare at the tent ceiling. He was trying to act aloof, more to calm
his own raw nerves than impress the prince.  "I know ignorance is bliss,
but I'm not about to have a rude and fatal awakening on the battlefield.
I'd rather hear it from you."
	Magellan was unable to keep himself calmed enough to sit
comfortably. He pushed back his chair and stood, pacing the interior of
the tent. And he found himself unable to openly state the ominous
knowledge he held. "Look at it this way. They have at least one very
powerful mage in their ranks." He turned to Frederic, studying the face of
his friend and Commander. "Tell me, Frederic, what destroyed Aurora?"
	"No one knows," Frederic replied, shrugging. He froze moments later
as the revelation came to him. "Shit, Magellan, are you saying that
someone blew up the damn planet?!"
	"Oh, it gets even better," Magellan said soberly. "This someone has
a name and a title. Something about a Dark Messiah called Mistress Nine."
	"And here I was afraid Morgana was the culprit," Frederic remarked
in his most cynical voice. "Do they know anything else about her?"
	Magellan shook his head. "Only that it looks like this Mistress Nine
woman is in Morgana's employ. Merlin might know something else, but if he
does he's making sure to keep it a secret."
	Frederic let all four chair legs touch the ground. He took a deep
breath and pushed off. It appeared the uneasiness in staying still was
contagious. At the very least, pacing gave the illusion that one was doing
something.
	Anything.
	"Okay, let's see what we've got so far," Frederic said, taking a
deep breath. "From a strategic stand point, it looks like someone is
intending to bring down the Golden Empire. This would fit with Morgana's
profile, so let's presuppose she's doing this to take revenge on Arthur."
	"But naturally there would be resistance," Magellan countered. He
could see where Frederic was going with this verbal rationale. He had
watched Frederic strategize an opponent's thought process in the same way
many times in the past; it was almost frightening to see how the Vlatmere
Commander could get into the mind of his nemesis.
	Myung stepped into the tent, and Magellan quickly signaled for her
to keep quiet.
	"Naturally," Frederic agreed. One of his hands was moving, rotating
as if signifying the motions of his thoughts. "Morgana would more than
likely have anticipated that. Now, the three most powerful planets in the
solar system military-wise are Earth, Uranus, and Aurora. If I was
Morgana, the most dangerous of the three would be Aurora.
	"Get the Ancients out of the way, and she'd have a much easier time
bringing down the others. So that would mean the destruction of Aurora was
a pre-emptive strike on Morgana's part. And Uranus would be more concerned
with fortifying itself than helping another planet. Let them bide their
time while the Solis System's in disarray over Aurora's destruction."
	He bit down on his lower lip, growing more and more involved.
Magellan was certain Frederic was barely aware of his presence in the
tent.
	"She wants to rule the Golden Empire, not obliterate it. So she then
takes down Camelot and Arthur. Everyone else grows disillusioned, and
planet by planet she would retake the system by force. Uranus would come
last, and face the fury the other eight planets. At the very least,
Morgana could rule Earth. The Dark Messiah would act as the enforcer."
	He abruptly turned to Magellan. "You're certain no one knows who
this Mistress Nine is?" he pressed.
	"All we know is that she decided to make her presence known on
Aurora an hour before it was shattered to pieces. The question still
remains: who has enough power to take out an entire planet?"
	"Another Sailor Senshi," Myung spoke up.
	Frederic gawked.
	Even Magellan stared at Myung in disbelief.
	"Whoa, hang on," Frederic said, more than a little alarmed. "What
are you talking about? You people are supposed to protect us, not destroy
us. Did this Mistress Nine just not bother to recite that part of her vow
of duty?"
	Magellan felt his stomach do yet another gut-wrenching twist. He had
never considered the Dark Messiah being a Sailor Senshi, but now that he
was it made sense. Against his better wishes too. "Remember that
manuscript," he said to Frederic. "The one Myung's father made a copy of
and sent to us. It had that obscure reference the Senshi Wars, where
Sailor Senshi fought against Sailor Senshi. We could be dealing with
something similar here."
	But if it wasn't the Chaos entity, then what was coming after them?
	"Then care to tell me how a Senshi got awakened and subsequently
corrupted without anyone's knowledge?" Frederic inquired harshly.
	Myung shook her head. "I honestly don't know. I'm certain the Chaos
entity isn't involved, but there's nothing else I know of that could
exercise such dark power over a Senshi."
	Frederic put his hands on his head, trying to hold in the pressure
building up inside. "Well there goes my good mood for the day. If what you
two are saying is true, then in a few days we are all royally screwed."
	"That's why the three of you are here," a voice said from behind the
group.
	The trio whirled, suddenly on the defensive.
	Frederic lifted his longbow, reaching back for an arrow. A few
futile grasps had him swearing under his breath, realizing that he had
left his quiver somewhere else. Magellan stood between Myung and the
newcomer standing in their presence, a yellow rose in his hands.
	He lowered the blossom a few moments later.
	"I know you," he said. "You're the Healer who came out to Myung's
shuttle when it crashed."
	"I am pleased you recognize me, Lord Endymion," the mage replied,
bowing. His face was shrouded in the darkness of a hooded cloak. "It is an
honour to be in your presence once again. And I sense that your magik has
finally surfaced. I trust the power was of good use when the need became
apparent."
	Magellan's eyes narrowed. "How did you know about that?"
	"I sensed it in you when I first saw you years ago at one of your
father's receptions," the mage said. "When we met at Miss Myung's
unfortunate accident, I felt the magik once again--only this time more
powerful than before. It was beginning to awaken then. And now, if you'll
pardon the pun, I see it has come into full bloom."
	Everyone paused and glanced down at the rose.
	"You are very powerful even if what you can actually do is limited,
Lord Endymion," the Healer said. "You are quite possibly one of the most
powerful warriors this planet has ever produced. I have felt this magik
course through the blood of your ancestors, but it was dormant. In your
father it began to emerge...and now in you the magik has been fully
released. And if you wish to survive the assault, you will have to push
the limits of your magik--and combine it with a gift I have brought for
you."
	That managed to catch the prince's attention.
	Magellan silently admitted he'd need all the help he could get. The
humming ground made him aware of the approaching battle skimmers, but
after the revelation about the Dark Messiah he was still feeling uneasy.
War machines were one thing. A Sailor Senshi of pure, unbridled evil was
in another class--and a superior one at that.
	"What have you brought for me?" he asked the Healer.
	With that, the mage pulled his robes aside and drew out from the
darkness a small satchel. "I bring you the Armour of Aroth," he stated,
setting the satchel on the table.
	"The...Aroth Armour?" Frederic repeated, looking skeptically to
Magellan. "He's got to be kidding."
	Magellan visibly stiffened in reading the Healer's eyes as they were
caught by a stray beam of sunlight. "No, Frederic, he's not," he said
solemnly, almost distantly.
	"Oh no!" Frederic countered, ready to grab the sack and throw it off
the table. "You're telling me that a demon curse is going to be what saves
Magellan? No offense, but I think he'd be safer fighting Mistress Nine
without it."
	Myung scrutinized the gift; it didn't look anywhere big enough to
contain a full suit of armour. While the satchel itself appeared harmless,
she could feel something radiating from beneath the cloth. The strange
heartbeat of a magik that chilled her.
	The Venusian princess turned to Magellan. "What is it?"
	Ocean blue eyes were grimly fixated upon the satchel. "They call it
the Demon Armour, because every person who has ever worn it went insane.
They say the armour is permeated with black magik, and possibly housing
the soul of a demon being within. Whomever wears it becomes possessed, and
thus becomes like the demon lurking in the armour."
	"Like I was saying," Frederic said with a definitive nod. "He'd be
safer fighting Mistress Nine without it. The last thing I want is for
Magellan to suddenly switch sides and join the Dark Messiah in wiping us
out!"
	"That is where you are wrong," the mage said. His voice was calm and
patient, corrective and not about to argue in anger. "The armour itself is
like all magik: it is a neutral force. But the heart of the person who
wears it will determine how the armour reacts.
	"I was not the one who forged this armour, so I don't know all its
secrets--but I do know that it will enhance the wearer's abilities ten
fold. It will amplify your strength, your magik...and unfortunately your
emotions. If you are full of anger and hatred, the armour will feed off
that; it will intensify that desire and you will become a vicious, cold-
blooded killer. In the past no one has proven themselves worthy of wearing
Aroth's Armour. You, Lord Endymion, will be the first to wear the armour
as it was created to be used."
	"And what makes you think it won't possess him?" Frederic demanded.
	"I'm inclined to agree," Magellan added. "What guarantees do I have
of my own safety?"
	The Healer sighed. Myung could hear the teacherly air in his breath,
trying to let his pupils learn without letting them rush ahead into
something they didn't understand. "You weren't paying attention to my
words," he chided them. "The armour itself cannot possess you; only your
emotions are vulnerable to its influence. Everyone who has ever worn this
armour in the past was weak, and succumbed to their dark thoughts. They
became murderous lunatics, who ultimately killed themselves because of the
madness."
	A self-made poison.
	Magellan could already mentally draw a few parallels and differences
between the nature of the armour, and the forbidden Shokkan sorcery. This
Armour of Aroth was very much like a double-edged sword. Incredibly
dangerous to one's enemy...and dangerous to its wielder if used
improperly.
	"You, however," the Healer continued. "are strong enough to use the
armour to its fullest power. I can feel it in you, Lord Endymion. You are
the one who was meant to wear the armour. You, and no one else."
	Magellan looked down at the satchel with trepidation. The power and
its curse were laying there before him, waiting to be accepted if he in
turn accepted the risks. He knew Arthur's forces needed the extra
strength--but at the same time, if he lost it he could easily turn on
them. Become the demon he wished to destroy.
	The conflict he wrestled with was caught within his eyes, and Myung
saw it. She wanted more than anything to assure him that he would not lose
control. But that assurance was not hers to give. She could not guarantee
for Magellan what he himself was in doubt of.
	And so she slipped her hand next to his, letting their fingers lace
together. "Magellan," she said quietly, giving him a reaffirming squeeze.
"Out of everyone I know, you are the only one who has the strength and
compassion to keep the kind of control you would need over armour's power.
I doubt even I have what it takes to watch my emotions."
	Magellan looked into her eyes; she truly believed what she was
saying. Ever since her unexpected arrival, he had found her to be the
anchor he was lost without. Mentally and emotionally, she kept him honest,
with himself and with those around him. She had challenged so much of what
he had once believed, and despite that he loved her.
	If she believed in him, then he would take a chance and believe in
her.
	"Okay," he said, turning back to the Healer. It was time to give his
verdict. "I'll wear it under one condition: if I begin to lose control,
you three will do everything in your power to stop me. Even if it means my
death." Magellan scanned the faces of the others. Is that clear?"
	Frederic nodded. As a soldier he understood the risks and
consequences of this. "Just make sure that if it consumes you, you come
out an angel and not a demon," he stated.
	The Healer nodded. "I cannot guarantee I'll be there if you do
descend into the madness, but I will use all my powers to stop you should
that happen."
	Myung hesitated, the ring upon her finger suddenly making its
presence known to her.
	"Myung," Magellan pressed. "Please promise me this."
	Reluctantly, she nodded. She didn't want to believe that it would
ever come to such a tragic end, but as a Senshi she had to be prepared for
it. If for anything, to free the one she loved from being a prisoner in
the arms of a dark magik. She would honour his promise.
	"It is done," the mage stated. "The armour is yours, Lord Endymion.
And I do suggest you try it on before you go into battle. I need to show
you how to use it."
	"Sounds reasonable enough," Magellan agreed, reaching for the
satchel.
	He was surprised with how light it was when he picked it up. Doubts
of it being of any use against a blade or arrow clouded his confidence in
the armour. And then when he looked inside, he became even more concerned
about the claims of its guardian power.
	Magellan tilted the satchel upside down and let the contents fall to
the table with a clatter. There was awkward silence as everyone stared at
the pieces in question.
	Frederic looked down at the armour.
	Then up at the mage.
	And then back down at the armour.
	"This is supposed to protect him?" he remarked, not bothering to
hide the disbelief and sarcasm in his voice. "He would probably last
longer if he walked onto the battlefield naked. The shock from his enemies
seeing him like that would give him a window of opportunity for at least
two or three seconds."
	"Thank you for that wonderfully vivid image," Magellan retorted. He
turned to a giggling Myung. "You tell no one of that."
	She glanced over at Frederic, who was suddenly trying to conceal the
lopsided grin on his face. Seconds later they both broke out into poorly-
controlled snickers.
	"I don't need this right now," Magellan lamented, rubbing his
temples. "So these flimsy pieces of metal are supposed to protect me?"
	The mage nodded. "Not merely 'supposed to'. They will, and better
than anything else you could find."
	There were six pieces of what appeared to be dried-out bone plates:
four smaller, narrower pieces, and then two large, broad plates. Magellan
looked up at the mage with confusion.
	"I don't see a way of holding these pieces in place," he said.
	"The two broad plates are the chest and back plates," the Healer
explained, pointing to the items he was discussing. "The longer pair of
the narrow ones go on your shins; the shorter pair are meant for your
forearms. You will need to take off your current armour first, though."
	Magellan nodded.
	With Frederic's assistance he removed the armour already on his
body. The cool morning air felt good against his sweaty skin, and it was a
relief to have all the extra weight off. Metallic armour was placed on the
table next to demon armour. The Armour of Aroth looked pathetic next to
Magellan's regular protection.
	"This won't stop a rock, let alone a sword," Frederic muttered. He
grabbed one of the shorter pieces and held it up. "And how the hell are we
supposed to fasten this on? There's no latches or straps of any kind on
these things."
	"Like this," the mage said as he grabbed the armour from Frederic's
hands. He took hold of Magellan's left hand and slapped armour plating
onto the forearm. When he drew his hand away, the plate stayed in place
without any use or apparent need of restraints.
	Magellan moved his arm around and was surprised to see it stay in
place. "Impressive," he remarked, bending his arm to test his mobility.
	"And now for the rest," the Healer said.
	A few seconds later, all six pieces of armour in place.
	Magellan appraised himself, but still didn't know half of what was
going on. He was just amazed with the fact that everything was staying in
place despite his movements. "Now what?" he asked.
	The mage grinned. "Just watch."


	And standing just outside the tent was an Ancient.
	Merlin smiled and shook his head. "You've got a hell of a way of
doing things," he remarked quietly, taking his leave and letting Magellan
practice in peace. "I'm just impressed you decided to mask yourself for
once."
	"Ano...Merlin?" the Raithe's voice abruptly spoke up. "I'm over
here."
	The expression on the Ancient's face was priceless as he whirled to
look from the mysterious Healer with Magellan, to the enigmatic Raithe
grinning and seated upon one of the tables.
	"Surprise," the Raithe said with a chuckle. "Oh, come now, Merlin.
Surely you didn't think I held the keys to every little secret of the
Messiah Wars."
	He was dressed in the uniform of a Vlatmere soldier, complete with
body armour. The shakujyo was still being carried in his grip, metallic
rings giving off another chime that echoed across the army camps. Yet he
also wore a pair of tinted lenses to hide eyes that reflected the starry
lights of the cosmos.
	"What do you think?" he inquired, raising his hands for Merlin's
appraisal. "I figure after a few centuries of the same outfit, I'm about
due for a change."
	Merlin failed to fully hear the humour behind the Raithe's words,
still preoccupied with the mysterious guest in their midst. His aged body
was growing tense as the last remnants of his magik twitched, ready to
come to life; there was no way of knowing if that alleged Healer was a
threat to both Magellan's life, and to the safety of Camelot.
	"So who is our uninvited guest?"
	"No need to get paranoid," the Raithe said reassuringly, patting
Merlin on the shoulder. "That one's on our side."
	Merlin studied the bent figure of the Healer, and could see nothing
that would reveal one way or another where the mage's loyalties lied.
"What is he then?"
	The Raithe shook his head. "I don't know. Something just as
powerful--and possibly just as old--as we are. But it's here to protect
Earth, so I suggest you not stand in its way. I have a feeling that
armour's going to prove immensely useful in the next few hours."
	With that, he adjusted his uniform and headed back towards Camelot.
Merlin quickly caught up with him, the two Ancients walking through the
ranks of Vlatmere's soldiers without being noticed. The Raithe looked like
one of their own, and they knew who Merlin was. In their minds there was
no reason to worry.
	"You used up all your magik, I see," the Raithe remarked, a little
more serious than before. "You could barely get a spark going when you
thought that mage was an enemy."
	Merlin nodded. In creating Illusion, his magik was at its lowest
possible ebb. He held no more ability to wield magik, and that would
remain so for a long time. Days if not months would pass before he could
regain his strength and invoke such power once more. As a result, he was
going to disappear before the battle, and wait until he was actually
useful again in the war against the Dark Messiah.
	If there ever would be a second chance.
	That was a risk he had to be willing to take: a future hope at the
risk of a present sacrifice.
	"Was it foolish of me to do so?" he asked.
	"It's not our place the second-guess the future," the Raithe said.
"You gave Helios a dreamworld because you felt certain it was what had to
be done."
	And now it was time to see what Camelot's soldiers could accomplish
on their own, and against incredible odds.
	"The battle's almost ready to begin," Merlin said quietly. "One
which you practically orchestrated into being. Are you not going to stay
and admire your handiwork?"
	The Raithe shook his head, glancing at his reflection caught by the
polished surface of his shakujyo's garnet orb. "I have a destiny with the
moon, Merlin," he answered. "Yours remains here on Earth."
	Merlin stopped walking, staring at the only other Ancient left alive
after Aurora's destruction. "So...this is your final hour?"
	The Raithe paused in departing. He never looked back, but instead
spoke a single word: "Sayonara."
	And then he was vanished once more.
	Merlin let out a deep sigh, shaking his head. "Just when I think I
know what to make of these Messiah Wars," he muttered to himself ruefully.
For as much as he, an Ancient, did know, there was a lot more he wasn't a
party to. And while it annoyed him a great deal--especially now with the
stakes higher than ever before--he'd grown accustomed to it.
	Lacking the power for a teleporting incantation, Merlin was resigned
to walk back through the castle. An hour later found him within Camelot's
most inner walls. Down the corridor laid his private chambers, where he
continued to search for the Dark Messiah. Whatever Shadowspell was at work
in masking both Morgana's armies and Mistress Nine, it was certainly a
powerful one. Merlin found himself ruefully admiring the prowess in such a
construction and execution of illusion.
	But Camelot had only days left.
	After that, nothing remained certain.
	"Merlin!"
	He turned his head as he heard his name frantically called. One of
the Knight Commanders was racing down the halls towards him. "What is it,
Galahad?" he asked.
	Galahad came to a stop, not even bothering with any form of formal
gesture or salute. "They're here. Point sentries report the mobilization
of what looks to be the entire Shadow army. They're coming out of the damn
shadows like ghosts, and they're headed straight for Camelot."
	Merlin felt his blood run cold.
	The Shadows were almost two days early.
	"Morgana must have grown impatient," he remarked icily.
	Or else the Dark Messiah had.
	He would have to place his bets on the latter.
	Merlin turned his head, staring grimly at the distant horizon line
through the windows. He could see the battle skimmers almost within reach
of Camelot's outer walls.
	"This is it," he stated, turning to Galahad. "Sound the alarm. The
war's about to begin."



				THE WAR IN HEAVEN FALLS TO EARTH.

				CHRONICLES OF THE MESSIAH WARS....





Thanks:

	To Sailor Skuld, who's been incredibly supportive of my
	efforts to finish what Dark Messiah began. It's nice to know
	that I can annihilate a planet, and she lets me get away
	with it. ^^


	To Todd Foster, my Messiah Wars counterpart. A number of the
	scenes between Magellan, Frederic and Myung are my own
	retelling of a story that he has already created. My
	humblest thanks goes out to him for all the contributions
	he's made to the CoT: Infinity trilogy, and the patience
	he's shown in letting me rework his tale into my own.

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